Horizon Deploys First Commercial 5 MW AEM Electrolyser at Chinese Steel Plant

HET Hydrogen, a subsidiary of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, has commissioned a 5 MW anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser at the Rockcheck Steel plant in Tianjin's Jinnan District. The system, connected to a 17 MW building-integrated photovoltaic array, can produce up to 1,000 Nm³/h of green hydrogen for direct use in the facility's iron reduction and blast furnace operations.

AEM electrolysis operates between alkaline and PEM systems, using an anion exchange membrane to shuttle hydroxide ions without requiring platinum group metal catalysts. Horizon's modular 500 kW stacks can be combined into multi-megawatt units with variable output, making them compatible with intermittent renewable energy sources.

The 5 MW installation follows a 1 MW pilot project in Foshan completed in 2024. Horizon claims its AEM approach reduces power consumption by up to 20 percent compared to alkaline electrolysers, though independent verification of sub-$2/kg hydrogen production costs remains pending.

Rockcheck Steel, founded in 2001 and one of China's major private steelmakers, signed a green hydrogen agreement with Horizon in early 2025 for two 5 MW AEM electrolysers. The project aligns with China's "Dual Carbon" roadmap targeting peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, as well as Tianjin's zero-carbon industrial park initiatives.

Durability and long-term performance data collection from the Tianjin installation will be critical for validating AEM technology's commercial viability at industrial scale.

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