Asahi Kasei Invests in Canadian Anion Exchange Membranes Manufacturer

Asahi Kasei is advancing its hydrogen business by investing in Canadian startup Ionomr Innovations. Ionomr's AEM, developed since its founding in 2018, eliminates the need for precious metal catalysts in electrolyzers, ensuring cost-efficient durability and performance. This move aligns with global goals for large-scale green hydrogen production in the pursuit of a zero-emission future.

“This investment enables us to team up with a leading expert for a membrane technology that could be a game changer for the production of green hydrogen in terms of cost-effectiveness and scalability. At the same time, we can share our long-term expertise in manufacturing and operating large-scale electrolyzers”, says Masami Takenaka, Lead Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Senior General Manager of Corporate Research & Development.

Actively developing an alkaline water electrolyzer for hydrogen production since 2010, the company is accelerating efforts for commercialization by 2025. Asahi Kasei provided a 10MW alkaline water electrolyzer to the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in 2020 under a NEDO project.

Bill Haberlin, CEO of Ionomr Innovations commented, “The support and endorsement of a lead electrolyser manufacturer underscores the potential of our Aemion materials and for AEM as a viable solution for significant cost reduction in the hydrogen economy. Ionomr has a membrane solution that works, is a viable contender in the mix of electrolyzer technologies and will be cost-effective. We look forward to working with Asahi Kasei to decarbonize the planet with green hydrogen.”