German-Chinese Joint Venture Launches 5 MW Alkaline Electrolyser Assembly Line in Saarbrücken

RCT GH Hydrogen, a joint venture between Germany's RCT Holding and China's Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co., Ltd., has launched its first 5 MW alkaline electrolyser assembly line in Saarbrücken. The facility operates with an initial capacity of 250 MW per year.

The electrolyser uses pressurized alkaline water electrolysis technology, splitting water and electricity over nickel electrodes in a potassium hydroxide bath at pressures of 1.6–3.2 MPa. This pressure range reduces the need for additional compression steps, streamlining hydrogen production when powered by renewable electricity.

The venture aims to address Europe's industrial demand for green hydrogen by reducing supply chain delays and costs associated with overseas component imports. The facility partners with local companies including Brück for forging and fabrication work.

According to the report, local assembly could reduce supply costs by approximately 30% compared to imports. The partnership qualifies for EU IPCEI hydrogen support and leverages Saarland's industrial infrastructure. Future plans include electrolyser stack production in Thuringia and expansion toward 1 GW of annual capacity.

The project is expected to create jobs in assembly, technical support, and service engineering roles as production scales.

Originally reported by Hydrogen Fuel News. Read the full article →