Quest One and MAN Energy Solutions Build Demonstration Plant for Large-Scale Electrolyzer

The electrolyzer manufacturer Quest One has started construction of a demonstration plant for its PEM electrolyzer Modular Hydrogen Platform (MHP) in Augsburg. The electrolyzer will be integrated into a test stand at the Turbocharger Performance Center (TPC) on the MAN Energy Solutions site in Augsburg, where it will generate data for operational management in test operation after completion. With the demonstration plant, Quest One is bringing large electrolysers to life. For operational reasons, it is often not possible to view these while they are in use at customers' sites. The joint project aims to change this: Potential customers as well as project planners, planners and architects will be able to visit the demonstration plant from mid-2025. This will give them an idea of the construction phases, dimensions, inner workings and infrastructure.

The joint project with MAN Energy Solutions also aims to continuously optimize the scaling of PEM electrolysers using field data and to further develop both plant operation and the assembly and service concept.

“We absolutely need electrolysers on an industrial scale in order to meet the huge demand for green hydrogen in the future. With our demonstration plant, we will show that the technology for industrial hydrogen production is already available today. Our PEM electrolysis technology, in particular, is perfectly suited for interaction with renewable energies and impresses with its high hydrogen quality. Interested parties can now convince themselves of these advantages in our demonstration plant,” says Jürgen Klöpffer, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Quest One and member of the Executive Board of MAN Energy Solutions.

“Our MHP is an essential building block for the decarbonization of industry. The scalable system can be flexibly adapted to increasing hydrogen requirements as industry ramps up. The demonstration plant is an important tool for us to further optimize the performance and operating parameters of the MHP. This will ensure that our products continue to produce green hydrogen reliably and efficiently in the future,” says Michael Meister, COO at Quest One.

Joint project implementation

The project underlines the joint efforts of Quest One and MAN Energy Solutions to provide a reliable fuel for the decarbonization of industry with green hydrogen. Through the jointly operated test stand, both partners are further expanding their knowledge and skills in the construction, project management, operation and maintenance of large-scale industrial electrolysers. Quest One is thus also taking a further step in scaling up its own product portfolio for projects ranging in size from ten to several hundred megawatts of electrolysis capacity. Continuously increasing electrolysis capacity is an important prerequisite for the company's goal of avoiding up to one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through the use of its own products.

Construction began at the end of 2024 with the installation of the fresh water treatment plant. The system will be assembled over the course of 2025 so that testing can begin at the start of 2026. As early as 2025, interested business partners will be able to gain a direct insight into the construction phase and visit the plant on site in Augsburg.

Hydrogen production on an industrial scale

The MHP is currently the largest PEM electrolyser in Quest One's product portfolio. Its scalable modular system makes it particularly suitable for the industrial production of green hydrogen. The module blocks with ten megawatts of output can be expanded modularly and combined into multi-megawatt systems with an electrolysis output of ten to several hundred megawatts. The system is optimized for easy indoor installation on pre-assembled skids. Each ten-megawatt block is equipped with integrated process water treatment and electrical power supply.

Funding as part of PEP.IN

The development of the demonstration plant is being funded as part of the PEP.IN research project, a sub-project of the H2Giga hydrogen lead project of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). PEP.IN is researching new processes for the series production of PEM electrolysers. It looks at the entire value chain from stack production to final assembly. The aim is to make green hydrogen affordable and competitive. The scope of funding includes, in particular, feasibility and viability studies as well as the planning of the necessary infrastructure.