Toray expanding CCM production capacity in Germany
Toray Industries, Inc., has announced that its subsidiary Greenerity GmbH has started expanding catalyst coated membrane (CCM) production capacity. These CCMs are key components of solid polymer electrolyte (PEM) water electrolysers for green hydrogen production. Greenerity develops, manufactures, and sells components for hydrogen fuel cells.
Greenerity will build a new third plant in Alzenau, Bavaria, where its headquarters are located. It will install facilities adding more than 1 gigawatt of water electrolyser capacity. This move will triple CCM production capacity for these electrolysers. The new facility is scheduled to go on line in fall 2023. Greenerity is considering even further expansion.
Its second plant has been expanding facilities to make CCMs and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for fuel cells in buses, trucks, and other commercial vehicles and for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including passenger cars. An MEA comprises a proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane, catalyst layer, and gas diffusion layers. This plant has started shipping these products to customers. At full capacity, that plant’s CCM and MEA output for fuel cells for passenger cars would also exceed one gigawatt. This would cover the needs of more than 10,000 of those vehicles.
Greenerity will leverage its industry leadership to keep reinforcing its stable supply system to cater to expanding market demand.
Green hydrogen is made by electrolysing water with electricity derived from such renewable energy sources as solar and wind power, and has gathered attention as a path to carbon neutrality. Demand should surge in coming years. Fuel cells are steadily gaining popularity in using hydrogen, and should enjoy significant growth down the track.
As a leading hydrogen and fuel cell component manufacturer, Greenerity has contributed much to the global uptake of green hydrogen and fuel cells. It draws on more than 20 years of experience, R&D, and production in this field.
The new expansion of CCMs for green hydrogen production facilities and fuel cell CCMs and MEAs will meet customer demand worldwide and cement Greenerity’s top market position.
The Toray Group has positioned hydrogen and fuel cell materials as an important area for future growth. It is expanding this business by extensively allocating resources to that field.
As well as drawing on Greenerity’s CCM and MEA capabilities, Toray develops and manufactures an array of key materials for all aspects of hydrogen production, transportation, storage, and usage. Its offerings include hydrocarbon electrolyte membranes combining high proton conductivity and low gas permeability, high-strength carbon fibre and liner resins for high-pressure hydrogen tanks, and carbon for electrode base materials and gas diffusion layers.
Toray says it will keep expanding its hydrogen business by harnessing group strengths in hydrogen-related technologies and materials. It will collaborate with leading partners domestically and abroad to build a global hydrogen supply chain.
