Dresden, 12 January 2021
Sunfire acquires Swiss alkali electrolysis company IHT
With expanded product portfolio, Sunfire strengthens its leading global market position as a supplier of electrolysis for green hydrogen
– IHT develops and manufactures one of the most reliable and cost-efficient alkaline pressure electrolyser
– IHT has more than 70 years of worldwide operating experience and a total installed capacity of 240 MW.
– With the two leading electrolysis technologies SOEC and Alkali, Sunfire offers a suitable solution for every hydrogen project
Sunfire has acquired the Swiss company IHT Industrie Haute Technology SA, based in Monthey. The Dresden-based company is thus expanding its product portfolio to include alkaline pressurized water electrolysis. This is particularly ideal for use in environments where water vapor is not available, such as in the energy market or in hydrogen mobility.
As part of the acquisition, Sunfire has acquired 100 percent of the shares of IHT. The company’s site in Monthey, Switzerland, will continue to exist and will play an important role in the production of the stacks, the main components of the alkaline pressure electrolysers. IHT has already commissioned electrolysis plants with a total capacity of 240 MW – this corresponds to a hydrogen production of more than 50,000 Nm3/h. This year, the company will deliver and install Europe’s largest single-stack alkaline pressurized electrolyzer for power grid regulation and green hydrogen production to Tyrol.
“With the alkaline pressure electrolyzer developed by IHT, we have chosen the most mature and reliable technology currently available on the market. The company acquisition is an essential part of our growth strategy to strengthen and further expand our global market position as one of the world’s leading electrolysis suppliers. Our customers can now choose between our proven SOEC-based high-temperature electrolysis or alkaline electrolysis, or combine both. Whether in an industrial environment or on a greenfield site – we offer the optimal solution for every application, including, for example, the short-term provision of plants in the order of 100 MW”says Nils Aldag, CEO of Sunfire.
With the addition of the product portfolio and the additional application areas, Sunfire now covers the entire value chain of hydrogen technology. The use in environments with limited steam availability can also be realized with the help of a hybrid concept – consisting of alkali and SOEC technology.
For IHT, the acquisition heralds a new era in the company’s history. “Our proven alkali technology and Sunfire’s innovative SOEC solution complement each other perfectly. We are excited to be part of a great mission and look forward to the collaboration between our two teams,” affirms Franco Nodari, CEO of IHT.
IHT’s technology, based on the Lurgi principle, was developed in 1950 and has proven itself in practice over decades. The alkaline electrolysers have a stack life of more than 90,000 operating hours, operate at pressures up to 30 bar without the need for downstream compression, and have an operating life of more than 20 years. In addition, the investment costs of alkaline electrolysers are very favourable compared to other technologies available on the market.
Sunfire’s innovative SOEC-based high-temperature electrolysis was developed in 2010 and most recently delivered to the Salzgitter flat steel mill as the world’s largest electrolyzer. The technology is particularly suitable for environments with industrial waste heat in the form of steam. This is efficiently decomposed into its components hydrogen and oxygen. Thus, SOEC electrolysis requires significantly less renewable electricity for the production of green hydrogen compared to other technologies.
About IHT
Founded in 2003, IHT Industrie Haute Technology SA, based in Monthey, Switzerland, develops and manufactures alkaline pressure electrolysers for the industrial production of green hydrogen. The technology, developed more than 70 years ago, has been continuously improved by IHT since its inception and continues to hold a leading position in the global hydrogen market.