HYGEAR FUEL CELL SYSTEMS BV

Their core work

HyGear is a Dutch SME specializing in on-site hydrogen generation, purification, and gas separation technology. They supply compact hydrogen production and membrane-based purification systems used across fuel cell, chemical, and energy applications. In H2020, they consistently served as a third-party technology provider, contributing their hydrogen and gas processing hardware to research consortia working on everything from solid oxide fuel cells to synthetic aviation fuels. Their role across 14 projects indicates they are a go-to supplier of hydrogen infrastructure components for European research teams.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), HyGear focused on core hydrogen infrastructure: solid oxide fuel cells, cogeneration systems, membrane-based gas separation, and CO2 sorbent materials. From 2019 onward, their project involvement shifted decisively toward downstream applications — sustainable aviation fuels, solar hydrogen production, biomass gasification, and Power-to-X pathways. This evolution mirrors the broader European energy transition: from developing the hydrogen building blocks to integrating them into synthetic fuel production chains.

HyGear is moving from being a hydrogen component supplier toward becoming an integration partner for e-fuel and Power-to-X value chains, making them increasingly relevant for green aviation and industrial decarbonization projects.

How they like to work

HyGear operates almost exclusively as a third-party contributor (13 of 14 projects), meaning they provide specific technology or testing services to consortia without taking on formal project management responsibilities. With 104 unique partners across 17 countries, they have an unusually wide network for an SME, suggesting they are a trusted niche supplier that many different consortia call on. This makes them low-overhead to work with — they deliver their component and don't compete for leadership roles.

Despite their third-party role, HyGear has built connections with 104 unique partners across 17 countries, giving them one of the broadest supplier networks in the hydrogen SME space. Their reach spans Western and Southern Europe with particular density in hydrogen and energy research hubs.

What sets them apart

HyGear's distinctive value is their role as a reliable hydrogen technology supplier that plugs into almost any energy consortium without adding coordination overhead. Their 13 third-party engagements across diverse hydrogen applications — from fuel cells to aviation fuels — show they have hardware and know-how that many different research teams need but don't want to develop themselves. For consortium builders, they offer a proven, low-risk way to add industrial hydrogen purification and gas separation capability.

Highlights from their portfolio

• KEROGREEN
  Combines plasma CO2 conversion, membrane O2 separation, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis into a full renewable kerosene production chain — directly aligned with EU sustainable aviation mandates.
• ECO2Fuel
  Their most recent project (2021–2026) focused on large-scale low-temperature CO2 electrolysis for e-fuels, signaling HyGear's latest strategic direction.
• Cell3Ditor
  Their only formal participant role with direct EC funding (EUR 39,405), focused on 3D-printed solid oxide fuel cell stacks for commercial deployment.