Polish Hynfra and Spanish deep-tech company JOLT sign LoI to cooperate on electrolyzers efficiency
Tokyo, Japan – February 21, 2025 – During Smart Energy Week in Tokyo, Hynfra, a Polish developer of large-scale clean hydrogen and ammonia projects, and JOLT, a Spanish deep-tech company specializing in advanced electrode technology, announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) for strategic cooperation. This partnership aims to address one of the main technological challenges in renewable hydrogen production: improving the performance and durability of electrolyzer electrodes.
Addressing a key challenge in renewable hydrogen production
Renewable hydrogen plays a significant role in the transition to low-emission energy systems. It has the potential to support the decarbonization of industries such as steel, chemicals, and heavy transport. However, the expansion of hydrogen production faces technical and economic challenges, particularly in electrolyzer technology. Electrodes, the core components responsible for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, remain a bottleneck due to their cost and limited lifespan.
Currently, electrodes can represent up to 25% of the total cost of an electrolyzer. Their limited durability and efficiency increase operational expenses, raising the overall cost of hydrogen production. Improving electrode technology is essential to making renewable hydrogen economically viable and competitive with fossil fuels.
Hynfra and JOLT aim to address this issue by combining their expertise: Hynfra brings experience in developing industrial-scale hydrogen and ammonia projects, while JOLT contributes its proprietary electrode technology. JOLT’s Sparkfuze™️ coating process enables faster, more cost-effective production of high-performance electrodes, which could extend their operational lifespan and improve electrolyzer efficiency.
Leadership perspectives on the initiative
Tomoho Umeda, CEO of Hynfra, emphasized the importance of overcoming technological limitations in electrolyzer efficiency:“Scaling renewable hydrogen production requires solving fundamental technological challenges. Current investments in electrolysis are significant, but without improvements in electrode performance, the process remains costly and inefficient. This partnership with JOLT is a practical step toward addressing that issue.”
Leon Rizzi, CEO of Jolt Solutions, reflected on the need for collaboration between all parts of the green hydrogen supply chain: “In order to create better components and have a meaningful impact on lowering the levelized cost of hydrogen it is important to understand the needs of operators and to test the changes in real world environments. This collaboration allows Jolt to put our products to the test. Improving the efficiency and durability, coupled with speedy, localized refurbishment of electrodes will help reach the cost targets for green hydrogen”
Enhancing EU–Japan cooperation on clean energy
This announcement comes as part of the EU Business Hub mission at Smart Energy Week, where 45 leading European cleantech companies are engaging with the Japanese market to accelerate clean energy collaboration. Both the European Union and Japan have made hydrogen development a strategic priority. The EU has set a target to produce or import 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030, while Japan is making significant investments to become a global leader in hydrogen technologies.
“This partnership goes beyond two companies; it is about contributing to the global development of the hydrogen industry,” added Umeda.
Next steps in the partnership
With the LOI in place, Hynfra and JOLT will begin working on technical evaluations and feasibility studies. The companies will also explore opportunities for collaborative research, pilot deployments, and partnerships with industrial players. Their goal is to develop practical applications for JOLT’s advanced electrode technology in large-scale hydrogen production, helping to overcome one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.
The companies also invite industry stakeholders, electrolyzer manufacturers, and energy investors to engage in discussions about how these advancements can be rapidly adopted to support the growth of the global hydrogen economy.
About JOLT
JOLT is a Spanish deep-tech company specializing in advanced electrode technology for hydrogen electrolysis. A spin-off from the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), JOLT has developed next-generation electrode coatings that improve the efficiency, durability, and scalability of electrolyzers, supporting the global transition toward renewable hydrogen.
About Hynfra
Hynfra is a European developer of large-scale renewable ammonia and hydrogen projects, focused on integrating clean energy solutions to enable cost-effective, industrial-scale decarbonization. The company is actively developing projects exceeding 1 million tons per annum of renewable ammonia production across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.