European clean energy technology provider Metacon AB, in partnership with China’s PERIC Hydrogen Technologies, has unveiled a new generation of pressurized alkaline electrolyzer stacks designed to make large-scale green hydrogen production significantly cheaper and more efficient.
The updated stack architecture directly targets the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH)—the critical benchmark determining the financial viability of industrial clean-energy projects. Manufactured by PERIC and distributed across European markets by Metacon, the next-generation units deliver major upgrades in power density, weight efficiency, and operational flexibility.
According to technical specifications released by the companies, the new design delivers:
-
17% higher current density, enabling greater hydrogen output within the same physical footprint.
-
13% reduction in cell-plate weight, lowering manufacturing costs and raw material requirements.
-
Expanded dynamic operating range, allowing systems to run temporarily above nominal capacity to capitalize on low-cost renewable energy spikes.
“For industrial hydrogen production, the decisive factor is not only the capital cost of installed capacity, but the long-term aggregated cost of every single kilogram of hydrogen produced,” said Christer Wikner, CEO and President of Metacon. “By improving stack efficiency, durability, and operating flexibility, this next generation directly addresses the key drivers of LCOH and strengthens the commercial case for large-scale green hydrogen projects.”
Proven Industrial Scale Meets European Expansion
While alternative methods like PEM and AEM electrolysis continue to attract venture investment, pressurized alkaline electrolysis remains the most commercially mature and widely deployed technology globally.
PERIC, originally founded as a state research institute for hydrogen technologies in China, currently operates an annual manufacturing capacity of roughly 6.5 gigawatts (GW). Its stack lineup ranges from 5 MW core modules up to massive 10 MW and 15 MW single-stack units—the largest operational electrolyzers in the world.
Metacon confirmed that the newly upgraded stack design will be deployed immediately across its current project pipeline, as well as upcoming commercial and industrial tenders across Europe.