GKN Powder Metallurgy and McPhy to boost deployment of solid state hydrogen storage

July 23, 2014

GKN Powder Metallurgy and McPhy Energy SA have announced a technology partnership agreement to accelerate the deployment of cost competitive solid state hydrogen storage.

Industrial markets already consume large volumes of hydrogen and in future the gas will play an important role in storing renewable energy as well as in CO2 free hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development. Solid state storage is stated as being a safe way to store large quantities of gas with high density at low pressure.

McPhy Energy, headquartered in La Motte Fanjas, France, is a leading provider of large scale solid state hydrogen storage. With installations in five countries, most recently at the Berlin Multi-Energy Fuelling station at Schönefeld Airport, McPhy Energy has demonstrated the capability and power of solid state storage.

GKN Powder Metallurgy comprises Hoeganaes Corporation and GKN Sinter Metals. Hoeganaes is one of the world’s largest metal powder manufacturers and produces the metals powder that GKN Sinter Metals and others use to manufacture precision automotive components as well as components for industrial and consumer applications.

“Clearly hydrogen will be an important fuel of the future and its safe storage will be key to its success. Powder metals offer the storage capacity and charge/discharge rates needed to help make this technology economic,” stated Peter Oberparleiter, Chief Executive GKN Powder Metallurgy. “With McPhy, we have found the right partner to make this technology commercially accessible to the industrial, fuel cell and future energy markets. Through this development commitment from GKN we believe we can help deliver this important technology in the medium-term.”

“At McPhy, we have demonstrated that solid state hydrogen technology is technically and economically efficient. Being a specialist in highly automated production of complex geometries based on powder products, GKN is a perfect match for McPhy Energy to accelerate the commercial deployment of our disruptive and secure hydrogen storage technology at a cost that is competitive with traditional hydrogen storage,” stated Pascal Mauberger, CEO and President of McPhy Energy.