BASF and Advent join efforts in building supply chain for hydrogen fuel cells

BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions and Advent Technologies Holdings have concluded the terms of a new agreement to establish a full loop component supply chain for fuel cells and enter discussions to extend the partnership into the field of water electrolysis.

According to BASF, the scope of the agreement includes BASF’s role in scaling up MEA production at Advent’s planned state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Western Macedonia, Greece, while offering Advent its full portfolio of products and services to enable circularity in key materials.

Furthermore, the companies are expected to cooperate on BASF’s latest membrane development Celtec®-Z, and the new Ion Pair™ MEA membrane concept by Advent, aiming for improved performance, lifetime and cost competitiveness.

Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President of BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions, said: “We are committed to building a full loop supply chain for green hydrogen technologies, including precious metal services, catalysts, components and recycling. Expanding our longstanding cooperation with Advent enables us both to grow in the HT-PEM fuel cell market and helps position Europe as a leading region for the hydrogen industrial transformation.”

Vasilis Gregoriou, Advent’s Chairman and CEO, commented: “The Advent team is thrilled to further strengthen its collaboration with BASF, a world-class catalyst and membrane leader. This partnership will enable the combination of Advent’s expertise in fuel cell stacks and systems with BASF’s expertise in catalyst and membrane development, creating a powerful synergy that will drive innovation in the fuel cell industry.”

To note, BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions has been working in membrane and MEA technology for high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cells with a strong foundation in precious metal services and catalysis, and Advent has been manufacturing HT-PEM fuel cell systems.

According to BASF, HT-PEM fuel cells operate at 120 to 180°C, offer a broad operating window and tolerate impurities in the hydrogen fuel gas. In addition, they enable simplified cooling and need no humidification.

BASF noted that Advent’s Green HiPo project, which is under the framework of the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), involves the development, design and manufacture of HT-PEM fuel cells and electrolysers, and BASF will support its further market uptake.

Click here to read more about BASF endeavours.