H2Lab
The Founders' Bay
H2Lab
The Engineering Landscape

Mastery Across the Stack

Real-world performance is defined at the interfaces. Our domain expertise spans the entire electrochemical value chain—from the molecular kinetics of the catalyst layer to the thermal dynamics of the balance of plant.

Materials

Optimizing durability and efficiency at the micron scale.

Systems

Managing heat, pressure, and flow for megawatt reliability.

Lifecycle

Predicting degradation and maintenance for bankable assets.

Technical Domain 01

PEM Electrolysis:
Engineering Bankability

We bridge the gap between fundamental materials science and gigawatt-scale reality. Moving beyond the datasheet to evaluate true technical readiness and financial risk.

01

The Strategic Imperative

  • Real Performance: Datasheets show ideal conditions. Real performance lives at the interfaces of materials and control logic.
  • Durability Logic: Understanding degradation not as a fixed rate, but as a function of renewable duty-cycles.
  • Validation Gap: Aligning testing envelopes with the actual intermittency of the project site.

The Failure Modes of Scaling

  • The Lab-to-Field Gap: Why technologies work in bench-tests but fail in pilot plants due to mismatched profiles.
  • Statistical Blindness: The danger of relying on "hero cell" data without disclosed repeatability.
  • Static Acceptance: Ignoring the specific risks of dynamic coupling.
Module 01 01
Anode Catalyst Systems

The Cost & Longevity Driver. Optimizing Iridium loading without sacrificing lifetime.

Eval Mass activity and specific activity measurements.
Risk Dissolution or agglomeration under dynamic load.
Module 02 02
Catalyst Layer Architecture

The Mass Transport Engine. Controlling porosity to prevent starvation at high current.

Eval Porosity and ionomer distribution analysis.
Risk Flooding or starvation at high current densities.
Module 03 03
Membrane Fundamentals

The Safety Core. Managing proton conductivity while preventing hazardous gas crossover.

Eval Gas crossover rates (H2 in O2) and chemical stability.
Risk Pinholes leading to immediate safety failure.
Module 04 04
PTL/GDL & Interfaces

The Efficiency Bottleneck. Minimizing contact resistance to stop ohmic losses.

Eval Contact resistance measurements.
Risk High interfacial resistance causing significant efficiency drops.
Module 05 05
MEA Fabrication

The Scale-Up Challenge. Ensuring lab-quality consistency in large-format manufacturing.

Eval Coating uniformity and hot-pressing parameters.
Risk Delamination or defects in large-area manufacturing.
Module 06 06
Stack-Level Performance

System Efficiency & Life. Uniformity across cells determines the limits of the stack.

Eval Cell voltage variance, thermal gradients, and compression.
Risk Non-uniform current distribution leading to hot-spots.
Module 07 07
Degradation Mechanisms

Predicting Financial Lifespan. Identifying what actually kills the stack over time.

Eval Membrane thinning, catalyst dissolution, and PTL corrosion.
Risk Accelerated wear under dynamic renewable profiles.
Frontier Challenges

Solving Technical Friction

01

Catalyst Loading Reduction

  • Target: Reducing Iridium below 0.3 mg/cm² without sacrificing life.
  • Tension: Thinner layers compromise ionic conductivity and durability.
Output TCO framing + risk register
02

Dynamic Operation

  • Reality: Renewables cause frequent start-stops and partial loads.
  • Risk: Accelerated membrane stress and catalyst dissolution.
Output Duty-cycle definition + validation
03

High-Pressure Trade-offs

  • Context: Operating at 30-70 bar reduces compression needs.
  • Risk: Increases crossover, seal complexity, and membrane stress.
Output Interface spec checklist
04

Stack Cost vs. Lifetime

  • Optimization: Balancing upfront CAPEX with replacement cycles.
  • Model: Sensitivity to electricity cost and capacity factors.
Output Scale readiness scorecard
Engineering Framework

Multi-Scale Engineering

"Electrolyzers do not operate in isolation — we design with the full hydrogen ecosystem in mind, ensuring technical solutions are optimized for real-world value chain integration rather than isolated component performance."

01

PEM Electrolysis (Flagship)

  • Evaluation Interfaces, transport limitations, and duty-cycle durability.
  • Risk Signals Lab-to-field gaps, mismatched profiles, and undisclosed conditions.
02

Stack Engineering & Durability

  • Cell-to-Cell Uniformity Managing flow and current distribution.
  • Thermal Management Minimizing gradients to prevent hot-spots.
  • Compression Balancing contact resistance with membrane stress.
03

System Integration & BoP

  • Balance of Plant Pumps, separators, and thermal subsystems.
  • Power Electronics Rectifier sizing and harmonic management.
  • Dynamic Operation Ramp rates and start-stop logic for renewables.
04

Hydrogen Purity & Conditioning

  • Impurity Management Oxygen crossover and water content.
  • Application Specs From Industrial (99.9%) to Mobility (99.97%).
  • Processing De-oxo drying and purification technologies.
05

Downstream Integration

  • Storage Interfaces Matching electrolyzer pressure (30 bar) with storage.
  • End-Use Coupling Ammonia, Methanol, and Refueling Stations.
  • Sector Coupling Power-to-X pathways and grid services.
Core Philosophy

Neutrality & Precision

"We do not push a single technology narrative. We help the ecosystem choose the right solution for the right use-case—with transparent trade-offs and evidence."

Technical Consulting

Consult with Our Domain Experts

Technical Deep Dive

Solve Your Toughest Electrochemical Challenges?

From catalyst layer architecture to full downstream integration—our engineering mastery helps you bridge the gap between bench-top success and giga-scale reality.

Consult Our Experts