ARNHEM, Earlier this week, Nedstack received confirmation that its application for financing the construction of a Fuel Cell Giga Factory (FCGF) has been approved. This marks the starting signal for a unique project within the European Union: the realization of Europe’s largest fuel cell factory, with a production capacity of one gigawatt per year in fuel cell power. Nedstack is a leading developer and manufacturer of PEM fuel cell stacks and systems. Construction of the factory will begin later this year, with commissioning planned for 2026.
Urgent societal relevance
The FCGF can play an important role in reducing emissions and achieving climate targets at both Dutch and European level. The Netherlands aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 49% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To achieve this climate goal, this IPCEI project has become highly important for society. Nedstack therefore focuses on zero-emission solutions for industrial applications, ship propulsion, off-grid applications, and the built environment.
Hydrogen costs will be reduced
Research and development programs have already started, and the FCGF project is expected to make a major impact in lowering the cost of hydrogen solutions. This will improve the economic feasibility of demonstrating and sustainably deploying hydrogen on a larger scale. This is not only an important development for the cost of fuel cells, but for the entire hydrogen value chain.
The Fuel Cell Giga Factory
The Fuel Cell Giga Factory will be built at Industrie Park Kleefse Waard in Arnhem, immediately making it the largest fuel cell stack factory in Europe. The factory will have a production capacity of one gigawatt of fuel cell power per year.
Importance for the region
The construction of the factory will have a direct impact on employment. Nedstack expects an increase of approximately 90 to 250 jobs once the factory is operational. These developments are also good news for other companies in the hydrogen value chain in the eastern Netherlands.
Approval by the European Commission
The financing application was submitted under the European Commission’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) program. The IPCEI enables companies to receive financial support for breakthrough projects. For this, the European Commission grants the Dutch government permission to fund the project. A key characteristic of the breakthrough projects supported by IPCEI is that their innovative developments and practical applications create ecosystems of innovation that strengthen Europe’s competitiveness.
Role of Kiemt and Connector
In its role as a network organization accelerating the energy transition in the eastern Netherlands, Kiemt contributed to the IPCEI application by arranging financial support, integrating the regional ecosystem through co-authoring the application, and securing support from partners. The IPCEI award also means that Nedstack will be able to offer a shared facility for the further development of fuel cell technology by other companies. Establishing and strengthening shared facilities is a core focus of Connectr’s activities to accelerate energy technology. Connectr, a collaboration between IPKW, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Oost NL, and Kiemt, will therefore continue to support Nedstack in developing and operating this shared facility.
For more information, please contact Roel van de Pas, +31 6 22 72 11 25
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More information about Nedstack: www.nedstack.com
More information about Kiemt: www.kiemt.nl
More information about Connectr: www.connectr.nu
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