Norwegian company Hystar has inaugurated its hydrogen technology project HyPilot at the Kårstø gas processing plant in Rogaland.
The Norwegian Minister of Energy Terje Aasland attended the event and cut the ribbon. Project partners were also present, including representatives from Equinor, Yara Clean Ammonia, Gassco and ABB, as well as representatives from Enova, which has provided funding for the project.
As disclosed, HyPilot is the in-field demonstration of Hystar’s 1.5 megawatts (MW) containerized PEM electrolyzer and will provide performance data from various operating regimes, including intermittent power supply. The Kårstø plant, said to be the largest of its kind in Europe, is hosting the project at its K-Lab test center.
According to Hystar, its PEM electrolyser stack technology is “paving the way for significant cost reductions, better performance, and safer green hydrogen plants.
Fredrik Mowill, Hystar’s CEO, commented: “HyPilot marks an important juncture both for Hystar and for the global green hydrogen industry. The project allows us to showcase our patented, ultra-efficient electrolysers, and the exceptional benefits of our unique design and scalable technology can bring to the industry. We are grateful to Enova and our partners, Equinor, Yara Clean Ammonia, Gassco, and ABB for their collaboration and support.”
The project partners said they are pleased to support the project, with Hans Olav Raen, CEO of Yara Clean Ammonia, calling the PEM technology “promising and exciting, especially regarding the improved energy efficiency.”
Andreas Jagtøyen, SVP for Renewable & Low Carbon Technology at Equinor, remarked that HyPilot is an “important step in gaining first-hand experience with green hydrogen production and operational data for system modelling and technology qualification.”
To note, HyPilot’s opening follows Hystar receiving a €26 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund that is expected to enable the company to implement its automated GW factory, at its Høvik location, with an annual capacity of 1.5 GW when the factory goes into operation in 2027, and scale to 4.5 GW of annual capacity in 2031.