This isn’t just any factory; it’s the heart of a pioneering joint venture between Air Liquide and Siemens Energy, dedicated to the mass manufacturing of electrolysers for the industrial-scale production of renewable hydrogen. The ambition is clear: to help accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy, with hydrogen as one of the key solutions. The impact is already visible in projects like Air Liquide’s Trailblazer 20 MW plant in Germany, which started up in 2024.
A hub of innovation and expertise
The CEO of the Air Liquide and Siemens Energy joint venture Electrolyzer Gigafactory, Thomas Bagus, welcomes us. With nearly 20 years at Siemens Energy, he leads a highly motivated team: “When the opportunity came up to build a new factory for a new product, I joined the team immediately. It has been a great experience since.” This enthusiasm permeates the facility, which has been in operation for two years. “It is one of the largest and most modern facilities of its kind,” he shares. His young and diverse team is made up of talented employees eager to scale up the hydrogen economy, creating a positive and inspiring atmosphere.
Scaling up: the industrialization challenge
The scale is impressive. Covering 2,000 square meters, the production line—currently operating in a single shift—showcases advanced automation and robotics designed for mass production. Industrializing this process, however, had to overcome several challenges. “No such factory or machines existed previously,” the CEO explains. “We therefore had to sit down with machine and plant manufacturers and systematically clarify what we wanted to use, where in the production line and how.” This collaborative development, coupled with a strategy of increasing automation step-by-step during ongoing operations, has been key to success.
The power of PEM technology
At the core of the Gigafactory’s output are electrolysis stacks based on Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology. This technology is highly efficient, leveraging renewable electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen to produce renewable hydrogen.
The Gigafactory is therefore an essential component in the implementation of Air Liquide’s ambitious renewable hydrogen projects around the world. Another prime example is the Air Liquide Normand’Hy project in Port-Jérôme, France. This 200 MW PEM electrolyzer, the largest ever built by Air Liquide, is set to supply renewable and low-carbon hydrogen for industrial and heavy mobility applications. Air Liquide’s investment of over 400 million euros highlights its commitment to decarbonization, avoiding 250,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
What’s particularly compelling is the direct link: the electrolyzer modules being assembled at the Air Liquide Normand’Hy site are a direct product of this Gigafactory. For the joint venture’s teams in Berlin, this is more than just an order. “This is not only a very exciting task and a great reference, it is also a project that will significantly advance our entire development,” notes Thomas Bagus. The sheer scale of the project—requiring a total of 288 individual stacks manufactured in Berlin—”helps in scaling up the factory and supply chain and will reduce the cost of renewable hydrogen in the long run.” Looking ahead, the high level of digitalization and automation allows the team to benefit from performance data collected from production, which is then looped back to refine electrolyzer design and manufacturing. New projects led by Air Liquide, particularly in the Netherlands, will benefit from these technological advances in the future.
A powerful Franco-German collaboration
This synergy is the result of a powerful Franco-German collaboration. The joint venture’s unique advantage lies in the fusion of complementary expertise, including Siemens Energy state-of-the-art technology and industrial capacity and Air Liquide’s mastery of hydrogen along the whole value chain and capacity to develop innovative custom-made solutions. “We both pursue the same goal: we want to help develop a market for renewable hydrogen because we are convinced that it is a fundamental element of the energy transition,” the Gigafactory CEO states.
By co-developing core technologies, acting as a strategic investor in flagship projects, and mastering the full value chain from production to distribution, Air Liquide is actively contributing to the development of the hydrogen economy. This integrated approach, which builds bridges between advanced technologies and large-scale decarbonization applications, solidifies its role as a leader committed to inventing a sustainable future.
Seeing the stacks manufactured and then sent out for delivery, the journey from innovative design to industrial-scale reality is clearly visible, here in Berlin.