Swedish electrolyzer manufacturer steps into Chinese market

Swedish manufacturer of energy systems for green hydrogen production Metacon has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese company PERIC Hydrogen Technologies to establish a strategic partnership for the production and sale of Metacon’s electrolyzers on the Chinese market.

The MoU is seen as an important milestone in Metacon’s global expansion strategy. It sets up the principles for a manufacturing and sales agreement under which PERIC is given the right to produce and sell Metacon’s hydrogen generators (HHG systems) based on Metacon’s patented reforming technology for the Chinese market.

The planned strategic partnership means that Metacon gives PERIC a so-called Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) license for the manufacture of Metacon’s hydrogen generators for the production of hydrogen from various non-electric energy sources such as biogas, ethanol, ammonia, and more.

To the extent that a final agreement can be reached, PERIC will receive the manufacturing and sales rights for Metacon’s HHG system in the expansive Chinese market, which is already the largest hydrogen market in the world, METACON explained.

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), China could account for half of the global electrolyzer capacity of 2 GW by the end of 2023.

Provided that the collaboration takes place, Metacon will be enabled to quickly establish itself in the Chinese market without having to invest in its own manufacturing capacity or build up a separate sales organization in China.

Instead, Metacon said it will be able to focus on manufacturing the core components, including the central patented reactor where the catalytic reforming to hydrogen takes place.

“With this MoU, Metacon takes an important step towards being able to enter into a groundbreaking agreement for reaching the world’s largest hydrogen market, several times larger than the European market and a market that is difficult to access for non-Chinese suppliers. It’s hard to imagine a better partner for this than PERIC with their 60 years of experience in hydrogen technology and large existing production capabilities for similar products,”  commented Christer Wikner, CEO & President of Metacon.

Yuguan Zhang, CEO of PERIC Hydrogen Technologies, added: “We see great opportunities for Metacon’s reformer systems in the Chinese market. PERIC has extensive experience in technology for hydrogen production and purification and one of the world’s best production facilities. The link to PERIC’s portfolio of hydrogen refuelling stations and China’s infrastructure expansion is also relevant.“