Zepp.solutions has acquired €1.98m funding from the European Just Transition Fund (JTF) to build a factory dedicated to hydrogen fuel cell production.
The industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell factory will be located in the Greater-Rijnmond region of the Netherlands, providing lucrative job opportunities and a boost to the local economy.
The project will help to reinforce the JFT’s target of carbon neutrality in Europe, accelerate the energy transition, and strengthen Zepp’s position as a pioneer in the growing hydrogen sector.
Support from the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) and Social Affairs and Employment (SZW), as well as the municipalities in the Dutch Greater Rijnmond area, will expedite the hydrogen fuel cell factory’s development.
Commenting on the funding announcement, Jonas Brendelberger, co-founder of Zepp.solutions, said: “We are thrilled and proud to receive this significant grant from the Just Transition Fund.
“This is an important step towards establishing a new state-of-the-art production facility for our fuel cell systems.
“It will allow us to further accelerate our technology and scale up the production and deployment of these hydrogen systems in the next few years.”
What hydrogen fuel cells will the factory produce?
The hydrogen fuel cell factory will exclusively manufacture Zepp’s Y50 and X150 fully integrated hydrogen fuel cell modules.
These cutting-edge fuel cell modules efficiently turn hydrogen gas into high-voltage electric power able to fuel vehicles, vessels, or other heavy machinery.
Brendelberger explained: “Each of our systems ultimately replaces a polluting diesel engine, resulting in a reduction of between 111 and 332 metric tonnes of CO2 per system annually.
“Our fuel cell technology boasts an impressive power density, surpassing that of our closest competitor by a significant share.
“This heightened power density enables the integration of hydrogen technology into a wider range of heavy-duty applications. We are maximising the potential impact of the technology.”
Zepp’s hydrogen fuel cell technology is already being used in construction excavators, the Rotterdam Watertaxi, and a 67-meter-long inland shipping vessel.
Later this year, the first two semi-trucks powered by the company’s hydrogen fuel cells will hit the roads.
The factory will scale up production and boost the local economy
Zepp.solutions is confident the factory will allow them to scale up fuel cell production dramatically, leading to 1,000 systems each year.
This will help to create 100 sustainable hydrogen jobs in the local area, boosting the economy and helping the region become a leading European hydrogen hub.
