SunHydrogen Unveils World's Largest Renewable Hydrogen Reactor Prototype

SunHydrogen, Inc., a company specializing in renewable hydrogen solutions, unveiled its largest hydrogen reactor prototype to date at the Hydrogen Technology Expo in Houston, Texas, on June 25–26, 2025. The 1.92-square-meter reactor, approximately the size of a standard solar photovoltaic (PV) module, represents a significant advancement in the company's efforts to produce decentralized and affordable green hydrogen.

The prototype utilizes SunHydrogen's proprietary technology, which employs sunlight and integrated catalysts to split water into hydrogen, eliminating the need for traditional electrolyzers or grid-supplied electricity. This design emphasizes modularity and scalability, incorporating thousands of miniature hydrogen reactors integrated onto cost-effective photovoltaic materials. The configuration ensures robust operation across diverse environmental conditions, including subfreezing temperatures and diffused sunlight, making it practical for various global markets.

In addition to showcasing the full-sized prototype, SunHydrogen featured a live hydrogen production demonstration using a 100-square-centimeter working model powered by a simulated sunlight source. This controlled display allowed attendees to observe real-time hydrogen production using only light and water, highlighting the technology's potential to provide sustainable hydrogen production without relying on energy-intensive processes.

"Unveiling our 1.92m² prototype is a proud moment for our team and a major step forward in redefining what’s possible with renewable hydrogen," said Tim Young, CEO of SunHydrogen. "We are especially excited to safely demonstrate our technology live at the expo—showing that sustainable hydrogen production can be decentralized, renewable, and scalable."

This development builds upon previous milestones achieved by SunHydrogen. In December 2024, the company demonstrated hydrogen production using a one-square-meter proof-of-concept prototype composed of nine 1,200-square-centimeter modules. By February 2025, these modules achieved an active-area solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 9%, marking the highest reported efficiency for a hydrogen module of that size. The successful scaling from 100-square-centimeter modules, which had exceeded 10% efficiency, to larger modules with minimal efficiency loss underscores the viability of SunHydrogen's technology at larger scales.

Looking ahead, SunHydrogen plans to deploy a more than 30-square-meter hydrogen production pilot system in collaboration with The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM). This system will feature sixteen 1.92-square-meter PEC reactor units, representing the company's first large-scale, multi-panel hydrogen production system operating under real-world conditions.

The development of scalable and efficient green hydrogen production technologies has significant implications. By enabling localized hydrogen generation, SunHydrogen's technology reduces reliance on centralized fossil fuel-based energy sources, offering a clean alternative to traditional hydrogen production methods, which are often carbon-intensive. Additionally, the advancement of renewable hydrogen technologies has the potential to create new markets and job opportunities in the renewable energy sector, fostering economic growth and innovation.

SunHydrogen's unveiling of the 1.92-square-meter hydrogen reactor prototype marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable and decentralized energy solutions. By aligning their technology with existing solar infrastructure and demonstrating scalability, the company is poised to play a pivotal role in the global transition toward green hydrogen and a cleaner energy future.