Traditionally, hydrogen storage requires compression or liquefaction processes, which involve numerous systems necessary to ensure plant safety. The alternative is a carrier material capable of absorbing hydrogen like a sponge.
The Swiss company GRZ Technologies has introduced the use of patented metal hydride alloys that absorb hydrogen at low pressure, bind it to the metal lattice in a solid state, and release it on demand. This process is completely reversible, highly efficient, and intrinsically safe.
GRZ’s product range includes various solutions designed to meet needs ranging from modular hydrogen storage to supply for industrial processes, up to the generation of electricity starting from stored hydrogen on demand.
In the Italian market, Simplifhy represents the reference partner for GRZ Technologies.
The Partnership Between Simplifhy and GRZ Technologies for the Italian Market
The collaboration between Simplifhy and GRZ Technologies was born with the objective of strengthening the presence of GRZ Technologies in the Italian market, as well as integrating them into projects dedicated to hydrogen production, storage, and utilization.
Founded in 2017 as a spin-off of EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), GRZ Technologies has developed specific expertise in the use of metal hydrides for hydrogen-related applications.
Simplifhy combines these technologies with its own expertise in the design and integration of hydrogen production and storage systems.
Solid-State Hydrogen Storage: GRZ Technologies
GRZ’s systems utilize a technology based on metal hydrides by which hydrogen is absorbed within a metal matrix. This is a safe and efficient technology with significant advantages:
- Unparalleled safety: one of the distinctive aspects is precisely safety. In fact, GRZ’s patented technology eliminates the risks associated with high pressure and cryogenic temperatures, ensuring unparalleled hydrogen safety.
- Energy savings: this technology is designed to reduce the energy consumption of compressors, chillers, and detection systems, as well as life-cycle costs in hydrogen applications.
- Easy implementation: GRZ’s standardized and containerized systems are easy to implement, allowing for a faster and simpler diffusion of hydrogen.
DASH Power: From Hydrogen to On-Demand Electricity
The DASH Power solution integrates GRZ Technologies’ proprietary solid-state hydrogen storage, fuel cells, auxiliary batteries, and control system into a containerized solution.
The stored hydrogen is used to produce electricity on-demand, transforming storage into an energy reserve that can be used when necessary to ensure plant reliability and operational continuity.
The range includes configurations with peak electrical outputs of up to approximately 500 kWe and total energy storage capacities of up to 4.5 MWh, depending on the model.
Possible applications include:
- Extended backup power for critical infrastructure
- Grid stabilization and peak shaving (managing energy demand peaks)
- Support for electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations
This solution presents several strengths:
- Dual function, offering both backup power during outages and additional power capacity to prevent costly grid upgrades.
- Superior safety, because unlike lithium-ion systems, DASH Power systems present zero fire risks thanks to low-pressure solid-state technology.
- Small footprint, as it requires significantly less space than traditional battery solutions.
- Instantaneous start, allowing backup power or grid services to be delivered within seconds.
DASH M-Series: Low-Pressure Modular Hydrogen Storage
The DASH M-Series solution is dedicated to modular hydrogen storage via metal hydrides.
The range includes modules with capacities ranging from 1 to 45 kg of H₂, which can be dimensioned according to the application’s requirements. Modularity allows the technology to be used in various contexts, from small-scale energy systems to industrial applications.
For example, the modules can be used as an alternative to traditional cylinder bundles for industrial processes that use hydrogen, such as metal heat treatment, steel annealing, laboratory activities, fuel cell testing, and other production applications.
Using a solution like the DASH M-Series enables secure, flexible, zero-emission, and long-term hydrogen storage with significant advantages:
- Absence of compression, eliminating the need for costly external hydrogen compressors and simplifying installation.
- Intrinsic safety and zero explosiveness, as low-pressure solid-state storage eliminates the risks associated with high-pressure compressed gases and does not require complex ATEX zones or extensive ventilation systems.
- Lower Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) compared to traditional cylinder bundles.
- Durability and sustainability, with a service life exceeding 20 years without performance degradation, low operational costs (OPEX), and fully recyclable materials.
DASH C-Series: Hydrogen Storage for Industrial Applications
For larger requirements, GRZ Technologies offers the DASH C-Series, a range of “plug-and-play” containerized systems for hydrogen storage intended primarily for industrial applications.
Storage capacity ranges from 45 up to 675 kg of H₂ within a single standard 20-foot container, with charging pressures between 30 and 45 bar(g) and discharging between 1 and 45 bar(g).
The DASH C-Series allows large quantities of hydrogen to be stored in extremely confined spaces, avoiding the use of expensive compressors or liquefaction systems and drastically reducing operational expenses and maintenance requirements.
This solution can be used to manage intermittent green hydrogen production. Placed between the electrolyzer and the end-user, the storage can act as a buffer, helping to decouple the hydrogen production profile from downstream process demands. For this reason, the DASH C-Series represents an important building block for the decarbonization of energy-intensive industrial processes such as:
- Steel mills
- Chemical companies
- Industrial furnaces
- Manufacturing sector
From Technology to Plant: Simplifhy’s Role in Integrating GRZ Solutions
Choosing a storage technology is only part of designing a hydrogen system
To correctly define a plant, it is necessary to evaluate how much hydrogen to produce, how much to store, with what temporal profile to use it, and what pressures and flow rates are required by the end-user.
It is at this stage that Simplifhy’s role as a solution provider comes into play. Our objective is to utilize GRZ’s DASH storage within complete hydrogen systems designed based on the specific needs of the application, integrating production, storage, and final use. Our solutions are indeed customizable based on the requirements of each individual plant.
Contact us to build your hydrogen production and storage system.
