International Research Project for the Optimization of Electrolysis Processes

As part of the EU project SUPREME, an international research consortium has begun developing improved methods for producing hydrogen from renewable sources. Led by the University of Southern Denmark, an international team with the participation of Graz University of Technology will work over the next three years on a PFAS-free electrolysis technology. The focus will be on the durability and efficiency of the materials used in continuous industrial operation.

The Turkish Science and Technology Council (TÜBİTAK) is researching alternative membrane synthesis methods within the project. The British metals and catalyst company Ceimig is investigating how to reduce the use of the expensive platinum group metal iridium.

The research is being funded through the Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETPartnership) as part of the joint 2024 call for proposals. This initiative, co-financed by the European Union, aims to strengthen the currently fragmented European research and innovation landscape in the field of energy transition.

The project stems from the fact that current electrolysis processes often rely on environmentally critical substances such as PFAS – so-called "perpetual chemicals" – which are slated for a ban at the EU level. Merit Bodner from the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology at TU Graz emphasized the central role of hydrogen, particularly for industrial applications such as ammonia and steel production. If it were possible to produce green hydrogen without harmful substances while simultaneously achieving a cost level comparable to that of fossil hydrogen, this would represent a significant step towards industrial decarbonization.