SunHydrogen, Inc. (Coralville, Iowa), the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and water, announced a major milestone in the advancement of its proprietary photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production technology.
In a new strategic collaboration, SunHydrogen will partner with The University of Texas at Austin – Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) to install, commission, and operate a more than 30 m² proof-of-concept hydrogen production system at UT-CEM’s Hydrogen ProtoHub research facility.
In a recent release, SunHydrogen announced the execution of a contract with The Process Group (TPG Engineers) for the front-end engineering design of this pilot plant. The pilot plant will feature sixteen 1.92 m² photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactor units—each the same basic unit to be showcased at the Hydrogen Technology Expo in Houston—totaling more than 30m2 of active area.
The reactor units will be installed across multiple panels in a modular, scalable configuration, representing the company’s first large-scale, multi-panel hydrogen production system operating under real-world conditions. Designed to operate entirely on sunlight and water, the more than 30m² array will enable comprehensive performance validation and data collection to support commercial system development.
“This collaboration represents a pivotal step in bringing SunHydrogen’s vision to life,” said SunHydrogen CEO Tim Young. “Deploying a pilot demonstration system at the Hydrogen ProtoHub allows us to validate our technology under real-world conditions and generate the necessary data needed for commercialization. We’re proud to work with Michael Lewis and his team at UT-CEM to accelerate the path to decentralized, renewable hydrogen production.”
Located on UT Austin’s J. J. Pickle Research Campus, the Hydrogen ProtoHub is a purpose-built facility designed to be a proving ground for hydrogen technologies. Operated by UT-CEM, the site offers advanced infrastructure, safety systems, and experienced technical personnel. SunHydrogen will work closely with UT-CEM on the system assembly, installation, commissioning and long-term data acquisition of the sixteen PEC reactor units. This collaboration also contributes to broader research, workforce training, and education in sustainable hydrogen technologies.
Michael Lewis, Director of the Center for Electromechanics at UT-Austin, stated, “We are excited to host SunHydrogen’s innovative technology at our Hydrogen ProtoHub. This project contributes to the advancement of photoelectrochemical hydrogen production and aligns with our mission to support the transition to a sustainable energy future through hands-on research, industry collaboration, and education.”
Dr. Syed Mubeen, the Chief Technology Officer of SunHydrogen, stated, “This pilot takes us from lab validation to system-level testing in real-world conditions. With >30 m² of active PEC area, we will generate critical performance data to guide commercial design. Working with UT-CEM ensures we execute this scale-up with precision, safety, and engineering rigor.”
Following commissioning, the system will operate for six months under UT-CEM oversight. The demonstration will generate valuable insights to support both technology development and broader hydrogen deployment strategies.