Agfa and VITO, the Flemish institute for technological research, have formalized their joint commitment to advancing green H₂ technology at a signing ceremony witnessed by Minister-President of Flanders, Matthias Diependaele.

The two organizations have signed a long-term cooperation agreement focused on innovation in green H₂ technology, marking a new phase in their strategic collaboration on next-generation membranes for alkaline water electrolysis.

The signing ceremony, held on 8 July, took place at Agfa’s Mortsel facility, which is currently in the process of ramping up production capacity for its ZIRFON technology.

Vincent Wille, President Digital Printing Solutions & Chemicals at Agfa, said, “It was an honor to welcome the Flemish Minister-President as Agfa and VITO reinforced our long-standing shared vision to push the boundaries of green H₂ technology. We have a rich history of working alongside VITO, having collaborated on the first generation of ZIRFON membranes in 2007, and our joint roadmap with them, combined with our new production capacity, will significantly accelerate the transition to a radically greener world.”

Following the signing ceremony, Diependaele received a tour of Agfa’s ZIRFON R&D facilities and ZIRFON production plant to learn more about ZIRFON’s place in the H₂ value chain and its benefits for more sustainable energy production. “This partnership between AGFA and VITO represents the very best of Flemish innovation: long-term vision, scientific excellence and industrial ambition. By anchoring this green H₂ technology in Mortsel, we are not only advancing Europe’s climate goals, but we are securing our economic future and strengthening Flanders’ position as a global hub for sustainable industry,” said Minister-President of Flanders, Matthias Diependaele.

The new facility, supported by the EU Innovation Fund, will open later this year and significantly increase Agfa’s production capacity for its ZIRFON membranes, supplying the global market for industrial green H₂ projects. The plant will have the capacity to support up to 20 GW of energy per year, potentially avoiding 15 MMtpy of CO₂ emissions.

The visit concluded with a discussion on the joint innovation roadmap, focusing on the development of advanced membranes that improve electrolyzer performance and reduce the cost of green H₂ production.

“We are proud to continue this collaboration with Agfa,” said Inge Neven, CEO of VITO. “Together, our two organizations combine scientific expertise and industrial knowledge to deliver concrete solutions for a carbon-neutral future. Through this partnership we hope to set the new gold standard for membrane performance, enabling breakthroughs in cost-efficiency and scalability that will make this revolutionary technology more accessible.”

Agfa’s ZIRFON membranes are used as separators in alkaline electrolyzers and are globally recognized for their efficient, reliable performance, even under dynamic operating conditions associated with renewable energy.