Researchers have developed innovative approaches for recycling valuable materials from electrolysers over the past four years in the project "ReNaRe: Recycling - Sustainable Resource Utilisation". To this end, eleven interdisciplinary teams from research and industry worked together from 2021 to 2025 to develop strategies and technologies with which the electrolysers can be recycled in a resource-saving and economical manner at the end of their life - including two teams from TUBAF. The recovery of critical and valuable raw materials such as iridium, platinum, ruthenium and rare earths was a particular focus. Their global availability is limited, but at the same time they are indispensable for the future upscaling of electrolyser production. In the ReNaRe project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the EU as part of the H2Giga hydrogen flagship project, the researchers were able to demonstrate how a functioning circular economy in the hydrogen sector can become a reality.
Special focus on the recovery of critical and strategic raw materials
A central component of ReNaRe was the development of specific process schemes for the recycling of hydrogen electrolysers. The researchers have developed a complete recycling chain for both proton exchange membrane (PEM) and high-temperature (HT) electrolysers. It begins with the automated and gentle dismantling of the electrolysers and includes the targeted mechanical disintegration, separation and processing of valuable materials in particle form. It also includes hydrometallurgical processes with which rare metals can be recovered, as well as initial approaches to reusing them in future applications.
All information in the press release from DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie e.V.
