Gen-Hy is a French start-up offering innovative solutions for green hydrogen production. The company has been designing and manufacturing energy solutions by incorporating proprietary technologies capable of harnessing hydrogen energy with reliability, safety and performance since 2019.
Interview with Sébastien Le Pollès, CEO of Gen-Hy.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Sébastien Le Pollès: Gen-Hy offers solutions for hydrogen production for mobility, storage, energy supply and high-capacity engine carbon-cleaning.
- 8 AEM membranes manufacturers worldwide, including 3 in Europe, including Gen-Hy
- 2 alkaline electrodes manufacturers worldwide, including Gen-Hy
To respond to this need, FFED has developed its own AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) technology.
GEN-HY was established in 2019. GEN-HY designs, manufactures and markets energy solutions incorporating exclusive solutions capable of utilising hydrogen energy in a completely reliable, safe and efficient way.
GEN-HY’s technologies are designed to use renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar panels or hydrogen that GEN-HY produces from water electrolysis.
Using French technologies, these environmentally friendly solutions are a response to future mobility needs and provide a sustainable energy transition.
It’s a booming market.
Germany, Canada, China, the United States and Japan are particularly present in this field.
GEN-HY is the only French company to master the entire hydrogen generators (stacks) production chain.
Today, GEN-HY is the only French company, the third in Europe and the seventh in the world to have designed and developed its own AEM membrane.
There are several methods for hydrogen production, but just 5% of carbon-free hydrogen was generated in 2020. The main challenge is finding a low carbon, highly efficient solution with the lowest cost.
The AEM membrane developed by GEN-HY improves the electrolysis reaction yield by 20%, which in turn has a direct impact on the production cost.
Today, GEN-HY is the only French company and just the third in Europe to have designed and developed its own AEM membrane.
The GEN-AEM ® membrane, now patented worldwide, required more than five years of R&D. This technology won the ADEME i-Nov innovation competition.
The production of the GEN-AEM ® membrane does not require the use of noble materials. It is produced with common, easily sourced materials.
This AEM membrane production unit was designed to launch the pre-industrial production phase.
The industrialisation phase is scheduled for 2024 with the construction of a 15,000 m2 plant on a site to be defined.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
S.L.P: The company works in chemistry, engineering (mechanical, electrical…) and production, which allows it to produce membranes (components), stacks and complete electrolysers.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
S.L.P: GEN-HY electrolysers increased the module power with more than 10 times and improved efficiency.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
S.L.P: Modular electrolysers from 200 kW to 2 MW of conversion, which produces between 100 kg and 1 ton of hydrogen per day.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
S.L.P: The market is currently at an early stage. Most of the project are pilot projects as the hydrogen uses are not entirely known. 10. Million tons should be produced in Europe, which would represent more than 2 GW of conversion capacity.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
S.L.P: There is a determination to develop and deploy hydrogen far faster than what has already been done. In Europe, the goal in the short term consists of 6 GW of electrolysers installed before.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
S.L.P: The AEM electrolyser with high efficiency is highly innovative: innovation comes from the components, the stack, and the way to use it as a service. Multiple patents protect the membrane composition and manufacturing process, the catalysts responsible for high efficiency without platinum or iridium.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the rest of 2023?
S.L.P: Finishing the stack production line at a pre-industrialized scale and ramping up the production.