German MEA breakthroughs boost green hydrogen and CO₂‑to‑fuel electrolysis

Researchers at Westfälische Hochschule have developed a nanoscale direct‑coating process for membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) that reduces the use of precious metals and cuts production costs for green hydrogen by up to 30 %. The technology, now commercialised by the start‑up Direct Matter (formerly Hydrogenea), is supported by the NRW university network, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and PROvendis. Direct Matter plans to scale from 100 kW demonstration plants to multi‑megawatt electrolysis systems by 2028.

A separate academic effort created an aqueous MEA platform for electrochemical CO₂ reduction. By forming copper catalysts in situ and using dynamic electrolysis, the system achieved methane faradaic efficiencies above 70 % at industrial current densities and stable operation for 12 hours. A recoverable‑operation approach sustained >60 % methane efficiency at >200 mA cm⁻² for 500 hours, and a dynamic hydrogen‑bubble templated electrode delivered >60 % C₂⁺ efficiencies at 200 mA cm⁻². The work demonstrated long‑duration, intermittent operation, highlighting the potential for large‑scale CO₂‑to‑fuel conversion.