AEM vs AWE: technical comparison of electrolysers
AEM (anion exchange membrane) and AWE (conventional alkaline) technologies share alkaline chemistry but diverge on key points.
Technical differences
- Separator: AWE uses a porous diaphragm; AEM uses a conductive polymer membrane.
- Current density: AEM reaches up to 2 A/cm², AWE typically 0.4 A/cm².
- Stack size: AWE scales better to MW; AEM leads in modular kW systems.
- Maturity: AWE has 80+ years of industrial deployment; AEM is pre-commercial.
Jolt Solutions develops electrodes for both technologies. The choice depends on the use case: AEM for flexibility and dynamic response, AWE for baseload large-scale production.