Longi plans to increase electrolyser output to 5-10GW next year

A senior official from Longi, a Chinese manufacturer, revealed plans to enhance efficiency, expand unit size, and prefabricate integrated electrolyser. The company intends to ramp up its electrolyser manufacturing capacity to between 5GW and 10GW by the end of next year, aiming to broaden its market reach beyond China. Currently, Longi operates two factories, one in Wuxi and the other in Xi'an, boasting a combined capacity of 2.5GW.

The company's vision includes scaling up its electrolyser manufacturing capacity to encompass between 5GW and 10GW by the close of 2025. Despite dominating the Chinese market with a 30% share in 2023, Longi is exploring international opportunities, evident from its sale of 20MW of pressurised alkaline electrolysers to Saudi developer ACWA Power for a project in Uzbekistan.

Longi's competitive edge lies in its pursuit of efficiency enhancement, demonstrated by its pressurised alkaline electrolysers consuming 4.3kWh of renewable electricity per normal cubic metre of hydrogen, surpassing most competitors in energy efficiency. Moreover, the company is venturing into larger electrolysers, with up to 15MW of nameplate capacity, anticipating a reduction in per-MW capex and civil works costs.

To further drive down costs, Longi, akin to other manufacturers like Electric Hydrogen, is offering pre-fabricated modular green hydrogen plants. These "4-to-1" models comprise four electrolysers with associated balance-of-plant systems, resulting in reduced costs and space requirements. However, questions regarding equipment reliability and performance degradation over time have been raised, particularly in light of past equipment failures in China's Kuqa project. Longi, nevertheless, remains committed to providing realistic solutions, drawing from both its expertise and real-world data.