HYGEAR TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES BV

Their core work

HyGear is a Dutch technology SME specializing in on-site hydrogen generation, gas purification, and membrane-based separation systems. They design and supply compact hydrogen production units and gas upgrading equipment used across energy, chemical, and industrial applications. In H2020 projects, they contribute hardware expertise in membrane reactors, fuel processing systems, and gas conditioning — serving as the engineering partner that turns laboratory fuel conversion concepts into working pilot-scale systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), HyGear focused on core hydrogen production infrastructure — solid oxide systems, membrane reactors for methane activation, hydrogen recovery from gas grids, and biomass-to-hydrogen conversion. From 2019 onward, their involvement shifted decisively toward downstream applications: sustainable aviation fuels, Power-to-X pathways, solar hydrogen, CO2 electrolysis, and e-fuels. This trajectory shows a company moving from "how to make hydrogen" to "what to make WITH hydrogen and CO2" — following the broader European push toward defossilized fuels and sector coupling.

HyGear is moving toward Power-to-X and e-fuel value chains, positioning itself as a systems integrator for turning renewable hydrogen and captured CO2 into liquid fuels.

How they like to work

HyGear never coordinates projects — they join as a participant (5 times) or, more often, as a third-party contributor (9 times), providing specialized equipment or testing services to larger consortia. With 104 unique partners across 16 countries, they operate as a widely-connected specialist that many different research groups call upon. Their recurring third-party role suggests they are valued for specific hardware contributions (reactors, membranes, purification units) rather than for driving the research agenda, making them a reliable technology provider within large consortia.

HyGear has collaborated with 104 distinct partners across 16 countries, giving them one of the broader networks for a company of their size. Their partnerships span Western European research institutions and energy companies, with particularly strong ties to German, Spanish, and Greek solar/hydrogen research groups.

What sets them apart

HyGear occupies a rare niche as an SME that can provide actual hydrogen generation and gas purification hardware for pilot and demonstration projects — not just research, but working equipment. While many partners in these consortia contribute modeling or lab-scale experiments, HyGear brings the engineering muscle to build and operate compact fuel processing systems. For consortium builders, they fill the critical gap between academic research and industrial-scale deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUN-to-LIQUID
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 961K) — ambitious solar-thermochemical synthesis of liquid fuels directly from sunlight, water, and CO2.
• ECO2Fuel
  Most recent project (2021–2026) and a clear signal of HyGear's strategic direction: large-scale CO2 electrolysis for e-fuels under the Power2X umbrella.
• TO-SYN-FUEL
  Full demonstration-scale project converting waste biomass into synthetic fuels and green hydrogen — closest to commercial deployment in their portfolio.