Bekaert is proud to announce its official partnership with Toshiba’s green energy division, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS), in order to collaborate on the development of new technologies for green hydrogen electrolysis. This partnership follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September 2023, demonstrating their commitment to working together in this venture. Bekaert is widely respected for its expertise in Porus Transport Layers (PTL), a critical component of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for water electrolysers, which are essential to the green hydrogen market.
Meanwhile, Toshiba ESS is currently focused on the development of MEAs for large-scale water electrolysers and has achieved a significant breakthrough by reducing the required amount of iridium by 90%. This development has the potential to greatly decrease the costs of water electrolysers, breaking down the cost barrier for green hydrogen, considering the expensive and rare nature of iridium. Through their collaboration, Bekaert will take on the task of commercializing the production of MEAs to serve their hydrogen customers, while Toshiba will provide a license of its iridium-saving technology to Bekaert for the manufacturing and distribution of MEAs using this innovative tech. Toshiba will continue to research and enhance the technology to further contribute to the growth of the green hydrogen market.
Inge Schildermans, the senior vice-president of Bekaert’s Energy Transition business, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating that Bekaert is pleased to collaborate with Toshiba in industrializing and commercializing the innovative new PEM MEA technology. She also highlighted their commitment to supporting their green hydrogen customers in overcoming cost and sustainability challenges. Schildermans noted that Bekaert aims to establish itself as a green hydrogen technology and industrialization partner, supporting the electrolyser industry in scaling up and facilitating the energy transition.
Shigehiro Kawahara, the vice-president of Toshiba ESS, also shared his thoughts on the collaboration, emphasizing the increasing demand for green hydrogen and the importance of wider adoption of PEM electrolysis equipment. He praised the promising partnership formed by their advanced iridium-saving MEA technology and Bekaert’s extensive expertise in PTL, believing that their collaboration will effectively address the rapid growth in demand and significantly contribute to the realization of a green hydrogen society.
The collaboration between Bekaert and Toshiba represents a significant step forward in the development of green hydrogen technology, and this partnership is likely to pave the way for advancements in the industry. Their combined efforts and expertise will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of green hydrogen, making it more accessible and cost-effective for a sustainable energy transition. As the demand for green hydrogen continues to grow, partnerships such as this will be crucial in driving innovation and progress in the industry.
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