Metacon is now investigating the conditions and financing possibilities for building a factory in Sweden or in another country within the EU. Under the right conditions, this could be the first factory of its kind in Sweden and, within a few years, one of the largest in Europe. Metacon is initially planning for a production volume of up to 0.5 GW per year, which corresponds to 50–100 complete electrolysis plants based on 5 and 10 MW electrolysis modules, respectively. In the next step, it is planned to be able to scale up to a capacity of 1 GW per year and more. Metacon will evaluate different forms of financing for the new factory including national and EU support programs.
The agreement provides a unique opportunity for Metacon to manufacture, quality assure and sell its own electrolysis plants based on large, pressurized electrolysis modules, which is what is frequently in demand by the market, especially in the industrial sector. The ability to meet current and future market needs in Europe with local manufacturing as well as manufacturing under European standards and quality assurance is one of the driving factors behind the investment. PERIC belongs to a very small group of companies in the world that over many years have built up the technology and industrial capability to be able to deliver larger volumes of large electrolyser systems and electrolysis modules for the rapidly emerging needs for fossil-free green hydrogen. PERIC’s 5 MW electrolysis module has more than 10 years of operating data to rely on, which is one of the longest in the world for this size and makes it perhaps the most proven large-scale pressurized electrolysis module available.
PERIC has also launched a 10 MW electrolysis module, which is the largest in the world today. This is a significant competitive advantage, especially to customers with very large production needs, such as in the markets for fossil-free steel, green fertilizers, green ammonia and electro fuels, as large economies of scale can be achieved. For example, this means that a 500 MW electrolysis plant can be built with 50 10 MW electrolysis modules instead of 100 5 MW modules. The importance of reducing the complexity of the plant becomes evident when you consider that a 5 MW electrolysis module weighs just over 50 tons and a 10 MW module just over 70 tons. The electrolysis modules are also uniquely designed to work together with irregular electricity production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
Through the agreement, Metacon will be able to build its own electrolysis plants under its own name and brand, initially with certain components from PERIC, including the electrolysis stacks, which in a complete electrolysis plant are supplemented with Metacon’s own produced or purchased components. Metacon will carry out the adaptations necessary to meet all European requirements and manufacturing standards and ensure that large parts of the electrolysis plants can be built with local components, maximizing sustainability and providing a stronger offering to the European market. The collaboration with PERIC and the ability to purchase core components from PERIC gives Metacon the conditions to quickly get started with manufacturing with, in this context, limited initial investments.
In addition to its own production, Metacon will continue to be a reseller of PERIC’s own electrolysis systems on the European market, ensuring continued deliveries without interruption and flexibility towards customer preferences.
The work that is now being initiated involves investigating the conditions in detail and developing plans to be able to start production. This means, among other things, site selection and finding a suitable factory premises or land for establishment, access to labour and access to good communications, logistics and maritime transport, as well as the opportunity to expand.
Christer Wikner, CEO & President of Metacon, said: “With this, Metacon takes a very important step towards being able to achieve our vision of becoming one of the leading European companies in the hydrogen sector. With our own European production based on what is perhaps the world’s most proven large-scale electrolysis technology from PERIC, we also complement our portfolio of other solutions in catalytic reforming, so that it comes together as completely unique. If these plans can be realized as planned, the company will also be able to move up to a different league in terms of size, financials and sales.”
Mr. Yuguan Zhang, CEO of PERIC Hydrogen Technologies commented: “I am pleased to announce that PERIC has now found a partner in Metacon that can establish European production based on PERIC’s leading technology. PERIC is currently the market leader in the largest markets in Asia, such as China and India, and with this collaboration, it will be able to participate in the European market more quickly and with greater force in a way that is adapted to local requirements and expectations. We are very much looking forward to the continued collaboration with Metacon.”
