Hychor’s HySET is a modular hydrogen production and energy storage platform being developed to convert seawater or brine into green hydrogen using renewable electricity. Designed for coastal and industrial applications, it aims to bring hydrogen production closer to the point of use, reducing reliance on freshwater supplies, dedicated desalination equipment and hydrogen transport infrastructure.

At the core of HySET is a two-stage, decoupled electrochemical process that uses a self-generated redox mediator to suppress chlorine evolution - a key challenge in conventional seawater electrolysis. This approach enables seawater to serve as the feedstock without prior desalination. The platform also incorporates a flow-battery function to buffer electrical energy, supporting more flexible operation with variable renewable sources such as wind and solar.

HySET is being designed as a modular, containerised system, allowing production capacity to be tailored to site requirements and expanded as demand grows. Its combined hydrogen production and energy storage capabilities are intended to help customers make greater use of locally generated renewable electricity, including at locations with constrained grid access or opportunities for off-grid operation.

Potential applications include hydrogen supply for coastal manufacturing, ports, logistics, distilleries and other industrial users seeking to reduce fossil-fuel consumption. The platform could also support renewable energy projects in water-stressed coastal regions, where freshwater availability and the cost of transporting hydrogen can limit deployment.

Currently under development, HySET targets electricity consumption of 60 kWh per kilogram of hydrogen. Hychor’s development programme focuses on validating performance, durability and system integration ahead of pilot deployment. The intended customer benefit is a flexible, locally deployable hydrogen supply that reduces water demand and infrastructure requirements while supporting industrial decarbonisation.