As water electrolysis technology scales toward widespread commercial deployment, reliable long-term performance validation becomes critical for building industry confidence and enabling investment at scale. Electrolyser performance data provided in manufacturer datasheets often lack trust from industry stakeholders and require verification through independent, standardized testing procedures. This absence of uniform testing protocols hinders reliable technology comparison and investment decisions. To address this critical gap, Bureau Veritas has developed a performance test standard for low-temperature water electrolysers.

The standard establishes test methodologies for performance characterization, including measurement and evaluation of key parameters such as hydrogen production rates, product purity, energy consumption, and efficiency across various operating conditions: steady-state operation, startup and shutdown, standby, and power ramping. The standard defines rigorous instrumentation requirements, measurement methodologies with required accuracy, test conditions, and calculation procedures and reporting.

The Bureau Veritas performance standard enables reliable, independent performance validation for contract acceptance, third-party due diligence, benchmarking, and regulatory compliance. Additionally, such standardized approach supports informed investment decisions, facilitates transparent technology comparison, and accelerates the global deployment of electrolytic hydrogen production systems.

This presentation will examine the current state, challenges, and solutions in electrolyser performance testing, and illustrate how the Bureau Veritas Electrolyser Performance Test Standard helps address them.