SunHydrogen is developing a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and water, utilising proprietary photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production technology. The company recently announced the execution of a contract with The Process Group (TPG Engineers) for the front-end engineering design of the pilot plant, which will feature sixteen 1.92 square metre photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactor units, each of them the same basic unit to be showcased at the Hydrogen Technology Expo in Houston - totaling more than 30m2 of active area.
The reactor units will be installed across multiple panels in a modular, scalable configuration, representing the company’s first large-scale, multi-panel hydrogen production system operating under real-world conditions. Designed to operate entirely on sunlight and water, the more than 30m² array will enable comprehensive performance validation and data collection to support commercial system development.
“This collaboration represents a pivotal step in bringing SunHydrogen’s vision to life” said SunHydrogen CEO Tim Young. “Deploying a pilot demonstration system at the Hydrogen ProtoHub allows us to validate our technology under real-world conditions and generate the necessary data needed for commercialisation. We’re proud to work with Michael Lewis and his team at UT-CEM to accelerate the path to decentralised, renewable hydrogen production.”
Located on UT Austin’s J. J. Pickle Research Campus, the Hydrogen ProtoHub is a purpose-built facility designed to be a proving ground for hydrogen technologies. Operated by UT-CEM, the site offers advanced infrastructure, safety systems, and experienced technical personnel. SunHydrogen will work closely with UT-CEM on the system assembly, installation, commissioning and long-term data acquisition of the sixteen PEC reactor units. This collaboration also contributes to broader research, workforce training, and education in sustainable hydrogen technologies.
“We are excited to host SunHydrogen’s innovative technology at our Hydrogen ProtoHub” added Michael Lewis, Director of the Centre for Electromechanics at UT Austin. “This project contributes to the advancement of photoelectrochemical hydrogen production and aligns with our mission to support the transition to a sustainable energy future through hands-on research, industry collaboration, and education.”
Following commissioning, the system will operate for six months under UT-CEM oversight. The demonstration will generate valuable insights to support both technology development and broader hydrogen deployment strategies.
For additional information:
The University of Texas at Austin’s Centre for Electromechanics (UT-CEM)
