Proventia Supplies Two Test Laboratories to Intelligent Energy’s MW Fuel Cell Testing Facility

Finnish technology company, Proventia, is partnering with leading UK-based fuel cell developer and manufacturer, Intelligent Energy, to supply new testing facilities for their high-power products. These laboratories will be located at Chelveston Renewable Energy Park in Northamptonshire, UK, with delivery scheduled for early 2025.

Intelligent Energy recently announced a multi-million-pound investment in the UK’s net-zero infrastructure with the development of a new fuel cell testing facility at Chelveston. Proventia is supplying two bespoke test laboratories to support high-power fuel cell testing as part of this project.

The laboratories will include four test cells that will be used to support the ongoing development of hydrogen fuel cell stack systems up to 325 kW, essential to delivering effective, large-scale hydrogen systems.

The testing facility will run on green hydrogen generated at Chelveston Renewable Energy Park and will enable Intelligent Energy to test their IE-DRIVE^TM and IE-FLIGHT^TM fuel cells for automotive and aerospace applications. This includes fuel cell systems for cars, buses, trucks, stationary power, eVTOL and passenger aircraft.

Once installation is complete, fuel cell systems up to a total power of 1.3 MW will be tested at the facility, ensuring both performance and durability at scale.

Intelligent Energy chose Proventia due to the company’s background and expertise in modular solutions and high-level hydrogen system knowledge. The modular test solutions also feature excellent facility integration capabilities enabling future expansion as testing grows.

Proventia sees hydrogen as one of the key energy solutions for the future, with applications across various industries.

“Hydrogen, when it’s green, can be a significant step towards decarbonizing emissions-heavy sectors such as aviation or heavy-duty machinery and vehicles. We are pleased to be part of the innovative hydrogen economy by providing, for example, these test facilities”, says Proventia CEO, Jari Lotvonen.

Intelligent Energy’s Operations Director, Martin Schaefer, commented:

“Proventia has been a crucial part of our journey in scaling up our testing facilities in the UK. The facilities will enable us to provide our customers with high-quality, reliable products at high-power outputs and bolster our position as a leader in the industry.”

David Dabbs, Electrolyser & Modular Laboratory Infrastructure Manager at Intelligent Energy, added:

“Over the past two years, we have collaborated closely with Proventia to develop a modular fuel cell testing facility. Their expertise in facility development has transformed our testing requirements into a robust and safe laboratory where our engineers can work effectively.”

“This new capability will allow Intelligent Energy to continue advancing our increasingly powerful products well into the future.”