RCT GH GmbH (RCT Hydrogen), a manufacturer of machines and systems for hydrogen production, will start manufacturing electrolyzer stacks in the heart of Thuringia in the first quarter of 2025. Production of the systems is planned for initial megawatt projects in hydrogen production for German industrial companies using the “hydrogen-as-a-service” model. Additional systems with an electrolyzer capacity of over 30 MW are currently in the planning stage.

With the signing of cooperation agreements between RCT Hydrogen and an experienced production partner in eastern Germany on December 22, 2025, the starting signal was given for the preparation of a production facility for hydrogen equipment. The production of electrolyzer plants with an annual capacity of 250 MW (megawatts) will begin with the installation of a 2.5 MW electrolyzer in the first quarter of 2026. Delivery and commissioning are still planned for the third quarter of 2026 at a German industrial company.

“We have now taken the decisive step toward producing robust and durable electrolyzer technology, which is necessary for the production of cost-effective green hydrogen in Germany,” revealed Prof. Dr. Peter Fath, Managing Director of RCT Hydrogen. The proven technology used in RCT Hydrogen’s plants is called alkaline pressure electrolyzer and is known for its durability and efficiency. With the high quality standards of a premium German manufacturer and TÜV-certified technology, the first industrial customers have also been convinced to integrate hydrogen production into their own manufacturing processes. Here, too, a preliminary agreement for the delivery of two 2.5 MW electrolyzer was signed in December.

“We expect this to trigger a real hydrogen boom, as it will enable the use of hydrogen for industry at reasonable costs for the first time, based on the power grid with 75%–100% renewable electricity,” says Dr. Eric Rüland, Vice President Sales and Products, adding: “This particularly concerns the so-called ‘hydrogen-as-a-service’ solutions, in which RCT Hydrogen and its partners take over the production of hydrogen at the customer’s site and the industrial customer can then purchase the hydrogen gas at fixed prices.” Various partners in Europe have also been found for this model, with whom further projects will be developed in the coming months. “In direct comparison with natural gas prices, the price of hydrogen per kilowatt hour is still around 20–50% higher, but this is offset by a CO₂ price, which currently stands at around EUR 83 per ton of CO₂,” Rüland continued.

The switch from gray hydrogen to low-carbon hydrogen, i.e., hydrogen produced with low CO₂ emissions, or green hydrogen, is particularly interesting for customers who already use hydrogen in their own industrial processes. Especially if the previous hydrogen supply was obtained via trailers and trucks, switching to the hydrogen-as-a-service model with equipment from RCT GH can result in interesting cost advantages.

This cost-effective production of green hydrogen is also made possible by the use of particularly cost-optimized production equipment. Here, RCT Hydrogen benefits from its Chinese partner Guofuhee, which, as a supplier of many key components, has years of experience in the production of hydrogen equipment. RCT Hydrogen has established successful partnerships along the entire value chain, with the main production steps planned to take place in Germany and Europe.

The control components for the hydrogen production processes and the process software for electricity and energy flows are being planned in cooperation with Siemens Digital Industries. The background to this is a cooperation with SIEMENS AG (Siemens Digital Industries). Solutions based on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are being used, comprising both hardware and software components. This is also an important point for the safety of the entire plant. Back in February 2025, a joint memorandum of understanding was signed between Siemens, Guofuhee, and RCT Hydrogen for the development of joint projects, which is to be put into practice with the upcoming projects.