Imagine a solar panel that doesn't just make electricity — it splits water into hydrogen right there on the surface, no separate electrolyzer machine needed. The PECSYS team built a 10-square-metre outdoor system in Germany that does exactly this, testing different solar cell materials to find the cheapest combo. The big win: in sunny places like Southern Europe or North Africa, their system could produce green hydrogen for under 5 euros per kilogram — competitive with grey hydrogen from natural gas. They proved it works outdoors for six months with less than 10% performance loss.
Green hydrogen is expensive — conventional electrolyzers require major capital investment, separate solar farms, and complex system integration. Companies in sunny regions want clean hydrogen but can't justify the infrastructure cost. PECSYS tackled this by combining solar energy capture and hydrogen production into a single, simple panel system that needs no tracking equipment and works better in heat.
The team built and operated a 10 m² outdoor solar hydrogen production system in Jülich, Germany, consisting of multiple flat-panel modules. They fabricated integrated photoelectrochemical devices at over 100 cm² scale, developed protective ALD-based sealing layers for durability, and created a techno-economic model projecting hydrogen costs below 5€/kg in sunny locations.
If you are a hydrogen producer struggling with the capital cost of separate electrolyzer plants — this project demonstrated an integrated solar-to-hydrogen system covering over 10 m² that targets below 5€/kg hydrogen in sunny regions. No solar tracking or concentration equipment is needed, cutting investment costs. The system ran for six months with under 10% degradation.
If you are an industrial gas supplier looking to add green hydrogen to your portfolio — PECSYS built and tested a modular flat-panel system that produces hydrogen directly from sunlight at over 6% efficiency. The modular design means you can scale by adding panels without complex engineering. Their techno-economic model projects costs below 5€/kg in high-irradiation locations.
If you are operating in remote, sun-rich areas and need hydrogen for fuel cells or energy storage without grid connection — this project proved a simple flat-panel system that needs no tracking, no concentration optics, and actually performs better in hot climates thanks to a positive temperature coefficient. The 10 m² demonstrator produced over 10 kg of hydrogen in six months with minimal maintenance.
The project's techno-economic model predicts a levelized cost of hydrogen below 5€/kg in locations with high solar irradiation. This is based on the system requiring no solar tracking or concentration equipment, which keeps investment costs low.
The system was designed as modular flat panels — scaling means adding more modules rather than redesigning the system. Prototypes were first proven at over 100 cm² before scaling to the full 10 m² demonstrator consisting of several planar modules. Industrial scale-up would follow the same modular approach.
The project was coordinated by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, a major German research centre, with 2 industry partners in the 6-member consortium. Based on available project data, IP would be held by the consortium partners under standard EU Horizon 2020 rules. Licensing discussions would go through the coordinator.
The demonstrator operated for six months with degradation below 10%. The project specifically developed protective metal oxide sealing layers using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to extend device lifetime. Long-term durability beyond six months would need further validation.
The system targets high-irradiation locations for optimal economics — the below 5€/kg figure assumes sunny regions. However, the system has a positive temperature coefficient, meaning hot climates actually improve electrochemical performance enough to offset PV efficiency losses. Cloudy regions would see reduced output and higher per-kg costs.
The project tested thin-film silicon, crystalline silicon, and CIGS solar cells, plus experimental perovskite/silicon combinations. This means the system is not locked into one PV supply chain — manufacturers can choose based on local cost and availability.
The PECSYS consortium is compact but well-structured: 6 partners from Germany, Italy, and Sweden, led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin — one of Europe's top materials and energy research centres. With 3 research organisations, 1 university, and 2 industry partners (33% industry ratio), the team has a clear research-heavy profile typical for demonstration projects. The absence of SMEs and the relatively small consortium suggest this is deep-tech work not yet at the commercialisation stage. A business partner looking to license or co-develop would be entering at an early but proven stage, with strong research backing and room to shape the commercial pathway.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (Germany) — contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the research team.
Want to explore licensing or piloting this solar hydrogen technology? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the PECSYS research team and provide a detailed technology brief tailored to your operations.
