Nel ASA has formally launched its next‑generation pressurised alkaline electrolyser platform, an industrial‑scale technology designed to reduce the cost, complexity and delivery time of large‑scale green hydrogen projects. The system is now commercially available after more than eight years of development and full‑scale prototype testing at Nel’s Herøya facility in Norway.
The new platform is built around a fully modular, skid‑based design, with factory‑assembled and tested units deployed as standardised products rather than one‑off bespoke projects. It operates at 15 bar on the stack, lowering the need for downstream compression and improving overall energy efficiency. The system is designed for outdoor installation, slashing civil works and site‑preparation requirements.
Nel estimates that the turnkey full‑scope cost for a 25 MW plant can fall below USD 1,450 per kW, with additional savings at larger scales, compared with many recent projects that have landed near or above USD 3,000 per kW. The company says the combination of pressurised operation, modular design and standardisation can reduce system CAPEX by 40–60% versus existing electrolyser solutions, while shortening project timelines and execution risk.
The technology incorporates proprietary manufacturing processes and patent‑pending innovations, aimed at improving real‑world energy performance and enabling repeatable, large‑scale deployment.
Nel’s President and CEO Håkon Volldal said the platform is intended to unlock hydrogen business cases that were previously uneconomic, particularly in refining, chemicals, ammonia, low‑carbon steel, and emerging markets such as sustainable aviation fuels (eSAF) and long‑duration energy storage.
Demand for low‑carbon hydrogen is expected to grow sharply over the next decade, driven by climate targets, new regulations, and the need to secure resilient power and feedstock supplies.
Nel’s Herøya factory is being scaled with an initial production capacity of up to 1 GW per year, with a roadmap to 4 GW annually, supported by up to €135 million in grants from the EU Innovation Fund covering up to 60% of eligible industrialisation costs.
The move positions Nel to supply standardised, high‑throughput electrolysers that can support both industrial decarbonisation and broader grid‑balancing and energy security use cases.
