Developers to mix and match electrolysers for big projects
Combining alkaline and PEM technologies can deliver significant savings over project lifetimes, says Nel
Developers of large-scale green hydrogen projects are exploring ways to use combinations of different electrolyser technologies at the same facility as they seek to optimise performance, according to Norwegian electrolyser manufacturer Nel. The largest projects could potentially save “hundreds of millions of dollars” over the lifetime of a facility by deploying both alkaline and proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) technologies instead of opting for one or the other, CEO Hakon Volldal told analysts on the company’s second-quarter earnings call. Alkaline is the most established and cheapest technology. PEM is at an earlier stage of development and, as a result, more expensive, but it is gaining pop
Also in this section
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies






