BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) has begun construction of a factory for hydrogen and fuel cell components. At the site, the first of its kind for the group, BASF plans to produce novel membranes for PEM electrolysis, among other things.
The new BASF factory is being built in Budenheim near Frankfurt am Main, as BASF ECMS announced on July 11. The groundbreaking ceremony for the plant took place on July 10. The company plans to manufacture "newly developed catalyst-coated membranes with low iridium loading (CCMs)" in particular. The membranes are considered a key component for PEM electrolyzers. Companies worldwide are therefore trying to reduce their manufacturing costs by decreasing the proportion of precious metals. Recently, a start-up from Greifswald received a large grant from the Ministry of Economic Affairs for this purpose.
ECMS plans to commission the factory in summer 2025. Project partners are Trigona Fuel Cell Components GmbH and Grundstücksverwaltung Rheinufer GmbH & Co. KG. The plant is intended to enable the commercial introduction of the new CCMs for PEM electrolyzers. The entire world market will be served from Budenheim; the aim is to achieve a production capacity in the multi-gigawatt range.
BASF expands H2 portfolio
The CCM production will complement the production of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for high-temperature fuel cells, which is also to take place in the plant. MEAs are important components in fuel cells as they convert hydrogen with atmospheric oxygen into electricity. With this investment, the BASF subsidiary is expanding its expertise in precious metals, catalysts, and recycling. It is also positioning itself as a "provider of complete solutions for a range of product lines in the field of green hydrogen".
Saeed Alerasool, Senior Vice President R&D and Application at ECMS, said that the new products have already successfully transitioned from research and development to pilot scale: "Production in Budenheim represents an important milestone for bringing these products to market and puts us in a good position to capitalize on this substantial business opportunity".
ECMS operates globally in the hydrogen market, including in Europe, North America, and Asia. Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President of Precious Metal Services and Recycling at ECMS, commented on the function of the new site within the group's strategy: "As a global leader in precious metal services and catalyst recycling, this investment underscores our support for the growing hydrogen economy with circular solutions that improve performance and reduce costs for PEM electrolyzers and fuel cells."
