During the H2 Kenniscafé on Thursday 8 May, we will talk to leaders in the field of hydrogen. One of the speakers is Thorsten Holtmüller, Business Development Manager of the Dutch scaleup XINTC. The company developed a revolutionary electrolyser that works perfectly with sustainable energy sources such as sun and wind. We spoke to him prior to the event.
Where did the inspiration come from to develop your own electrolyser?
“Our main motivation is to make an impact in the field of sustainable industry and mobility. Hydrogen is a promising link in the energy transition, but it must be produced sustainably and at low cost. That is why we at XINTC decided to develop our own electrolyser — not just any one, but one that is fully adapted to changing sustainable energy sources.”
What makes your electrolyser so unique?
“There are a few things that really set our system apart. Firstly, we follow a product orientation, in which all system components are 100% standardized. Furthermore, the system is modular in design. This makes it scalable and quickly deployable. A major breakthrough has been achieved with the virtually unlimited ability to switch our plastic gas modules on and off, without any significant loss of performance. This switching is extremely important to convert all solar and wind energy, which have a highly fluctuating character, into hydrogen. But an additional special feature is that our electrolyser can be directly connected to solar panels — without the intervention of inverters, transformers and batteries. This allows us to produce up to 20% more hydrogen per square meter of solar panel. That is truly a game changer.”
At your demo location in Kootwijkerbroek this technology is now being tested in practice. What are the first experiences?
“We have realized a complete setup there next to an operational solar park. What is especially successful is that the technology works in practice and is being demonstrated: the first green hydrogen has been produced. Visitors are enthusiastic about the location, which shows that decentralized hydrogen production is not only feasible, but also tangible.”
Is your technology ready for larger-scale application?
“Certainly. The technology has been extensively tested over the past 12 years and is ready for rollout. We focus on parties that want to use hydrogen in industry or mobility. Think of chemical companies, large solar or wind park developers, agricultural cooperatives, energy hubs, logistics companies and transport companies. The market is really starting to move and we are ready for it.”
And the economic side of the story? Is hydrogen production with your system already profitable?
“In the long term, absolutely, and already in many places in the world. Remember that approximately 70% of the costs for hydrogen production are determined by the consumption of electricity and therefore by the electricity price. That is why it is essential to work with cheap, renewable energy. Our system helps enormously with that, not only because of the direct connection with sun and wind, but also because it can switch flexibly between different sources, including the grid. In addition, we have managed to keep the operational costs low. All of this makes green hydrogen production increasingly attractive.”
Finally, what is your ambition with XINTC?
“We want to grow into a reliable supplier of electrolyser systems in the mid-segment of the global market. Our next milestone is to scale up the capacity in Kootwijkerbroek to 2.4 megawatts and set up a production facility. Our goal is to contribute to a broader adoption of hydrogen, both in the Netherlands and abroad.”
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MWant to know more about the XINTC electrolyser? Visit the H2 Knowledge Café 'Inspiration and Innovation', on May 8 at Techport in IJmuiden. Click on the button below for information about the program and registration.
