John Cockerill Hydrogen secures €230 million, plans India electrolyzer factory

John Cockerill secured €230 million ($250 million) for its hydrogen subsidiary, led by SLB and Belgian public investors, to scale electrolyzer production including gigafactories in the US, India, and the UAE. The investment positions India as a planned electrolyzer manufacturing hub for green hydrogen.

John Cockerill announced a €230 million ($250 million) investment in its subsidiary John Cockerill Hydrogen, led by energy technology firm SLB and Belgian public investment bodies SFPIM and Wallonie Entreprendre, to accelerate deployment of its electrolyzer technology for green hydrogen production. The company has supplied 1,300 electrolyzers across more than 30 countries, and offers a 5 MW single-stack pressurized electrolyzer, the largest in the market, plus a complete 30 MW pressurized alkaline system. John Cockerill will retain a significant majority stake.

Green hydrogen developers and hard-to-abate industries are affected, as electrolyzers are critical for producing hydrogen using renewable energy where wind or solar alone cannot cut emissions. The funds support establishing gigafactories and electrolyzer production and service centres in the USA, India, and the UAE, with similar ventures explored in Morocco and Vietnam. The investment also forms a strategic SLB partnership focused on rapidly developing next-generation pressurized alkaline electrolyzers globally.

Green hydrogen project developers and industrial off-takers in India should monitor John Cockerill's planned electrolyzer gigafactory and service centre, which could expand domestic supply for green hydrogen production. Companies in hard-to-abate sectors should track availability of the 5 MW and 30 MW pressurized alkaline systems and the SLB partnership's next-generation technology. Indian hydrogen-economy stakeholders should watch how localised electrolyzer manufacturing affects project costs and the National Green Hydrogen ambitions.

Key figure — Investment secured: €230 million ($250 million) for electrolyzer scale-up