New HEROES (Heat and Energy Recovery of Electrolyzer Systems) project brings together leading Finnish research and industry partners to improve the efficiency of green hydrogen production and accelerate the energy transition.
HEROES is part of Danfoss' Fossil Free Future Veturi program funded by Business Finland. Green hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in reducing emissions from industries that cannot easily be electrified. However, producing hydrogen remains energy intensive, making efficiency one of the sector's biggest challenges.
To address this challenge, Danfoss and a consortium of leading research and industry partners have launched the HEROES project, an ambitious initiative focused on advancing the efficiency of green hydrogen production. The project brings together expertise from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the University of Vaasa, Convion, Hitachi Energy, Elcogen and other partners.
The project's goal is to demonstrate one of the world's most energy-efficient hydrogen production systems, helping reduce the energy required to produce clean hydrogen and improving the competitiveness of hydrogen as a future energy carrier.
"As countries and industries work to reduce emissions, hydrogen is becoming an increasingly important part of the solution," says Pia Karumaa, lead of Danfoss’ Fossil Free Future program.
"The challenge is not whether hydrogen will play a role in the energy transition, but how efficiently we can produce it. Through HEROES, we are bringing together expertise from across industry and academia to tackle one of the most critical barriers to large-scale adoption."
Hydrogen is expected to be particularly important in sectors such as heavy industry, maritime and other applications where direct electrification is difficult. Improving production efficiency can help reduce costs while maximizing the value of renewable electricity used in the process.
The project combines expertise in power electronics, heat recovery, energy systems and hydrogen technologies to explore new approaches that can improve overall system performance and efficiency. By working across the entire value chain, the consortium aims to generate knowledge and capabilities that can strengthen Finland's position in the rapidly growing hydrogen economy.