Nel’s extended PEM manufacturing facility in Wallingford officially opened

“Connecticut is a global leader in hydrogen because of companies like Nel,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal in his opening speech.

“I’m very excited by Nel opening this new facility, because it brings jobs and brains to the energy sector. This is our future. Hydrogen and fuel cells are going to be a vital part of our energy future in order to fight climate change,” he continued after he took part in a curtain drop, unveiling the expanded Wallingford facility.

Other speakers included Connecticut’s Chief Manufacturing Officer, Paul Lavoie and Sunita Satyapal, Director of the US Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.

“Automating production facilities is the only way you are going to be able to compete on a global level,” Lavoie said.

“This isn’t about eliminating people’s jobs. It takes people and upskills them. It allows them to do more rewarding work,” he said.

With the new and automated manufacturing facility Nel increases its annual capacity to produce PEM electrolysers from 50 to 500 MW.

Nel’s President and CEO Håkon Volldal said today’s challenge for the hydrogen industry is high production costs, and that costs need to be significantly lower to drive increased adoption.

“Developing Next-Generation PEM electrolysers with our technology partner General Motors, we aim to cut costs by another 60% and reduce energy consumption by more than 10 percent,” Volldal said.

The facility is expected to be ready to start production in the beginning of 2025.