In the initial phase of this agreement, Sumitomo and its partners will collaborate with H2Pro on operations for H2Pro’s technology pilot and demonstration and will supply H2Pro with various manufacturing equipment through its extensive network. In turn, H2Pro will provide Sumitomo with data to support Sumitomo’s strategic planning for its pipeline of green hydrogen projects. By the second half of this decade, Sumitomo plans to incorporate H2Pro’s electrolyzer technology, both within and outside the Sumitomo Corporation Group, toward the production of several hundred tons of green hydrogen per day.
According to H2Pro, its E-TAC (Electrochemical – Thermally Activated Chemical) technology solves the key challenges of traditional electrolysis by time-separating hydrogen and oxygen generation. E-TAC reaches its 95% efficiency (compared to 60–70% efficiency of alternative methods) by avoiding the inefficient electrochemical Oxygen Evolution Reaction, replacing it with a Thermally Activated Chemical (TAC) reaction that does not consume power or heat. Additionally, as hydrogen and oxygen are generated at separate times, an expensive membrane is not required. Combined with low-cost, mass-produced electrodes, E-TAC systems benefit from a safe and easily scalable design at a greatly reduced cost.
Talmon Marco, CEO of H2Pro, said: “As H2Pro scales from a breakthrough technology startup to a commercial-scale manufacturer, a partnership such as this with Sumitomo Corporation is invaluable. From pilot system deployment to the eventual integration of our commercial class system into their pipeline, we will benefit tremendously from Sumitomo’s operations expertise and diverse industrial experience. We are confident this partnership will help us bring E-TAC to the world and make affordable green hydrogen a reality this decade.”
