HYPRAEL Project advances high-pressure alkaline electrolysis and welcomes ARIEMA as a new strategic partner
The HYPRAEL consortium successfully held its General Assembly at the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation (FHa) in Huesca, Spain, on October 30th and 31st 2025. The meeting showcased breakthrough developments in electrode efficiency and system pressure, while officially announcing the integration of ARIEMA as a key partner to accelerate the project’s industrial impact.
The HYPRAEL project is driven by a singular mission: to redefine the boundaries of green hydrogen production. Its primary objective is the development and validation of a new generation of alkaline electrolysers (AEL) capable of operating at pressures between 80 and 100 bar. This technological leap aims to drastically reduce downstream compression costs, optimizing efficiency across the entire hydrogen value chain. To date, the consortium has achieved critical milestones in long-lasting catalyst synthesis and atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) coating optimization, consolidating the viability of components designed for extreme current densities.
On October 30th and 31st 2025, the HYPRAEL project General Assembly was held at the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation (FHa) facilities in Huesca. During the meeting, partners had the opportunity to visit FHa’s facilities firsthand, including the hydrogen refueling station and other projects under development at the Aragonese center.
Key component advances
During the assembly, representatives from Fraunhofer IWS, Fraunhofer IFAM, and VECO presented the positive advances achieved toward meeting the project objectives in electrode development. These advances include the innovation in 3D structured substrates and electrodes developed by VECO, which facilitate electrolyte delivery and gas bubble removal, essential for operating at high current densities and temperatures.
Fraunhofer IFAM has successfully developed long-lasting catalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER), while Fraunhofer IWS has optimized the atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) process to produce homogeneous catalyst coatings on separators up to 130 mm in diameter.
Meanwhile, AGFA and SYENSQO highlighted significant advances in the development of chemical compositions for the separator and diaphragm, essential components for the efficient operation of the electrolyser.
Aragon Hydrogen Foundation, as the project coordinator, presented the pressurized Balance of Plant (BoP) where the stack testing campaigns will be carried out. The core mission remains clear: to develop the next generation of AEL technology capable of reaching pressures above state of the art, 80 to 100 bar, significantly reducing downstream compression costs and enhancing the efficiency of green hydrogen production.
New Partnership: ARIEMA Joins HYPRAEL
A strategic highlight of the assembly was the official integration of ARIEMA. With over 20 years of expertise in the hydrogen sector, ARIEMA’s participation strengthens the consortium’s ability to validate and scale up the technology towards commercial readiness.
Objectives and future challenges
The HYPRAEL project continues forward with significant advances in alkaline electrolysis, as well as in dissemination and outreach to its target audiences. All partners agreed that they will continue researching to face the challenge of further improving component developments.
The main objective of the project is to develop and validate the next generation of alkaline electrolysers (AEL) for green hydrogen production at high pressure, reaching at least 80 bar and preferably 100 bar. To achieve this, the well-established and mature alkaline electrolysis technology is being significantly improved beyond the current state of the art.
The assembly concluded with a positive assessment of the progress made and renewed commitment from all partners to achieve the ambitious objectives of the HYPRAEL project.
HYPRAEL consortium
Aragon Hydrogen Foundation (FHa): A leading research center in hydrogen technologies, project coordinator, and responsible for the pressurized Balance of Plant (BoP).
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (IWS): Specialists in laser-based system solutions and APS surface/coating technology.
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM): Experts in functional materials and high-durability HER/OER catalysts.
VECO: Global leader in precision micro-fabrication, developer of 3D-structured substrates for bubble management.
AGFA: Provider of advanced imaging and material solutions, focusing on high-performance separator membranes.
SYENSQO: Materials science company dedicated to advanced chemical compositions for electrolyser diaphragms.
ARIEMA: Key industrial partner focused on accelerating commercial impact and AEL technology implementation.
The HYPRAEL project has received funding from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under Grant Agreement No 101101452. This Partnership receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation program, Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Europe Research.
