Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies, and Hystar, a Norwegian high-tech hydrogen company, have signed a three-year strategic supply agreement to ramp up renewable hydrogen production. This delivers on JM’s published milestone of winning at least two strategic partnerships in Hydrogen Technologies by the end of 2022/23.

JM will supply membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), key performance-defining components for electrolysers, as part of Hystar’s commercialisation ramp-up. This represents the next step in the collaboration between the two companies which began in 2021, focused on electrolyser stack development and manufacturing scale-up, using the components provided by JM and Hystar’s patented cell design.

As part of the ongoing collaboration, JM will supply MEAs for the Hystar PEM electrolysers to be used in the HyPilot project in Norway. The HyPilot project will verify Hystar’s patented PEM technology under realistic field conditions, in collaboration with industry leaders Yara and Equinor, with end market demand driven by the trends in food production and energy security. As part of the project, Hystar will deliver a complete, autonomous, containerized PEM electrolyser with a hydrogen production capacity of up to 745 kg/day.

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Hystar’s recent test results show the company already exceeds the Clean Hydrogen for Europe 2030 targets for clean hydrogen production. Hystar and JM will work in partnership to continue improving the performance of Hystar’s electrolysers and design circularity principles into the system.

Both partners will continue the collaboration to enable further scale up and automation for Hystar’s planned multi GW production line, which is expected to be operational by 2025.

Fredrik Mowill, Chief Executive Officer at Hystar, says: “Hystar’s class-leading PEM electrolyser is currently undergoing a ramp-up to GW scale production capacity. As part of our growth plans, Hystar will partner with strategic suppliers, such as JM, who possess state-of-the-art technology, mass manufacturing capacity as well as the ability to pursue future technology developments.”

Mark Wilson, Chief Executive of Hydrogen Technologies at JM, says: “This strategic agreement with Hystar is an important endorsement of JM’s electrolyser technology, manufacturing capability, supply chain access and our circularity offering. Partnerships such as this that bring together the capabilities and strengths of different organisations are essential to the development of the hydrogen economy.”