Nel's PEM: built on 20 years of experience

Everett Anderson, Vice President, and Head of Advanced Product Development at Nel joined hosts Leila Danielsen, Brand Manager at Nel, and Rob Cockerill, Managing Editor of H2 View, for a deep dive on the hydrogen industry in North America, and a specific look at Proton OnSite, the world’s largest manufacturer of on-site hydrogen generators.

“The story of Proton OnSite is an interesting one,” Anderson said. “The founders of Proton worked in a large aerospace company, United Technologies, doing PEM water electrolysis for aerospace and undersea applications where oxygen was the value product. They had the vision of using this same technology for generating hydrogen for commercial use.” Anderson noted that Proton’s business plan is the same today as when they founded the company in 1996. “Create a sustainable business for industrial uses of onsite hydrogen generation in anticipation of emerging energy markets.”

Proton OnSite became an official part of the Nel family in 2017, but the name remains the same. “Nel recognized the value the Proton name had in the market,” Anderson said. “Some products outside the on-site market are branded as Proton PEM to capitalize on Proton's history in terms of this space.”

While hydrogen has experienced its fair share of ups and downs in the US market, Anderson believes there is a significant interest in hydrogen in the US to move towards green hydrogen technology. So, what makes now the right time to start thinking purple? “I think across the industry there’s a much greater level of maturity in the product offerings and the technology,” Anderson said. “From the automotive side, the vehicles are light years ahead of the prototype vehicles introduced a decade ago. And from the Nel perspective, we’ve had decades of experience in the marketplace and addressing the needs generated. We are ready to scale the technology to larger production rates and meet the commercial demands.”