Providing the third-generation electrolytic water hydrogen production technology and equipment, "Wen Shi Hydrogen Energy" achieved a revenue of 200 million yuan this year | Early-stage project

Written by Zhang Zhuoqian

Edited by Yuan Silai

 After alkaline electrolyzers and PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyzers, the third-generation hydrogen production technology equipment for electrolytic water, AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) hydrogen production, has received widespread attention due to its advantages of low cost, stable structure, and high efficiency. In May of this year, the "Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Action Plan for 2024 - 2025" issued by the State Council clearly stated, "Accelerate the promotion of advanced processes such as the new generation of ion-exchange membrane electrolyzers. Vigorously promote the substitution of renewable energy, encourage the research and development and application of hydrogen production technology from renewable energy, support the construction of green hydrogen refining and chemical engineering projects, and gradually reduce the amount of hydrogen produced from coal in the industry." The policy support not only enables the continuous deepening of technical research but also the rapid advancement of commercial applications. In 2024, the number of new AEM electrolyzer products released in China has reached more than 10.

Shenzhen Wenshi Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy"), which 36Kr recently came into contact with, focuses on the research and development of the third-generation hydrogen production technology for electrolytic water. It is an AEM electrolytic water hydrogen production equipment technology enterprise that integrates research and production from membranes to catalysts, membrane electrodes, and control systems.

"Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" has four main products, namely 2.5kW, 10kW, 250kW, and 1MW AEM electrolytic water hydrogen production systems. Currently, the first two products were launched in 2023. As a green hydrogen application solution service provider, the products can cover areas from small-scale household storage to distributed hydrogen production, and to large-scale hydrogen production and energy storage.

250kW - AEM Electrolytic Water Hydrogen Production System

"Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" CEO Jia Li introduced that in the hydrogen production technology route of electrolytic water, the AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) technology combines the advantages of both the ALK (Alkaline Water Electrolysis) and PEM technology routes, enabling low-cost, high-efficiency, and high-purity hydrogen production, and being able to adapt to the volatility of new energy power. The basic principle of AEM electrolytic water hydrogen production is to use an anion exchange membrane as the electrolyte to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen in a weak alkaline environment.

The anion exchange membrane is the most important part of the AEM electrolytic cell, directly determining the working efficiency and operating life of the AEM electrolytic equipment. Wenshi Hydrogen Energy uses a unique structure for chemical polymerization to obtain a high-strength and non-deformable anion exchange membrane with intrinsic micropores. This membrane material has a higher tensile strength while maintaining a high level of ionic conductivity. Its performance is better than the industry average, ensuring long-term, stable, and safe operation under complex working conditions. Its service life is much longer than similar products.

As an important part of the electrolysis process, the performance of the catalyst directly affects the overall operating status of the system. "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" independently developed a catalyst formula, using nickel-cobalt-iron - LDH and graphene composite technology to develop an ordered, highly conductive, and multi-active site low-cost OER catalyst, ensuring the activity and stability of the catalytic link in an alkaline environment.

Not only the anion exchange membrane and the catalyst, but "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" has also made research and development breakthroughs in the fields of membrane electrodes and centralized control systems, and simultaneously possesses all the independent intellectual property rights of the four core sections of membranes, catalysts, membrane electrodes, and control systems. Jia Li told 36Kr that in the field of AEM hydrogen production, the difficulties in the industry mainly focus on two points. One is to break through the mechanical strength of the membrane to extend the product life, and the other is to solve the efficiency and stability problems of the system. "The 2.5kW AEM electrolytic water hydrogen production equipment we delivered to customers this year has operated continuously without failure for 42 days in 24 hours, and it is the first time that the AEM commercial equipment has continuously operated for more than 1000 hours. Our product has a ten-year warranty and can achieve an operating time of 50,000 hours, which is currently the highest in the industry."

This year, "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" won the bid for the world's first single-system 1.25MW - AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) electrolytic water hydrogen production project, and completed the product delivery to customers in Taiwan, China, and Chile. In November, in the National Competition of the 13th China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, with the AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) electrolytic water hydrogen production technology and research and development results, "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" won the first place in the growth group of the finals of new energy, new energy vehicles, energy conservation and environmental protection.

"Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" currently has a team of 50 people, with the R & D team accounting for more than 70%. The core technical team is composed of senior hydrogen energy experts from the central enterprise Aerospace Science and Technology with more than 30 years of experience. CEO Jia Li once served as the vice chairman of Three Gorges Group Yangguang Changjiang and has more than ten years of experience in the clean energy field, with a deep understanding of global clean energy power generation and electrolytic water hydrogen production investment.

"Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" can achieve an annual revenue of 200 million yuan this year, and the revenue target for next year is 8 - 10 billion yuan. Currently, "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" has an existing anion exchange membrane production line with a capacity of 4MW. The next step is to construct a manufacturing center with a capacity of 1GW in phases, and the plan is to complete the construction in 2026. Previously, "Wenshi Hydrogen Energy" completed two rounds of financing, and currently, it has initiated the Series A financing plan, with a target of raising 200 million yuan for product research and development and the construction of a GW-level production line.