UK specialist chemicals and sustainable technologies company Johnson Matthey has signed a three-year strategic supply agreement with Norwegian hydrogen company Hystar to supply membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) to Hystar's HyPilot project, in Norway, to ramp up renewable, or green, hydrogen production.

The agreement, which builds on the collaboration between the companies since 2021, is focused on electrolyser stack development and manufacturing scale-up, using the components provided by Johnson Matthey and Hystar's patented cell design.

MEAs are key performance-defining components for electrolysers, and form part of Hystar's commercialisation ramp-up.

"Johnson Matthey will supply MEAs for the Hystar proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers to be used in the HyPilot project. 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 and containerised PEM electrolyser with a hydrogen production capacity of up to 745 kg/day," the companies said in a statement.

"Hystar's class-leading PEM electrolyser is currently undergoing a ramp-up to gigawatt scale production capacity. As part of our growth plans, Hystar will partner with strategic suppliers, such as Johnson Matthey, that possess state-of-the-art technology, mass manufacturing capacity as well as the ability to pursue future technology developments," said Hystar CEO Fredrik Mowill.

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

Further, both partners will continue the collaboration to enable further scale-up and automation for Hystar's planned multi-gigawatt production line, which is expected to be operational by 2025.

"This strategic agreement with Hystar is an important endorsement of Johnson Matthey's electrolyser technology, manufacturing capability, supply chain access and our circularity offering. Partnerships such as this that bring together complementary capabilities and strengths of different organisations are essential to the development of the hydrogen economy," said Johnson Matthey hydrogen technologies CE Mark Wilson.