Naco Technologies, based in Riga, Latvia, specializes in advanced materials and cutting-edge nano-coating technologies. The company has obtained a prestigious EIC Accelerator grant to transform the use of expensive and rare-earth platinum group catalysts like Platinum and Iridium for hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers. Using as a platform its proprietary vacuum-based nano-coating technology Naco plans to reduce the use of catalysts up to 10 times, while also significantly simplifying the production process of catalyst coated membranes.

Sustainability

This initiative introduces a one-step nano-coating process (instead of current multi-step process) poised to substantially streamline the fabrication of catalyst-coated membranes and reduce material usage by tenfold. This technological process employs physical processes instead of chemical reactions, which reduces energy consumption and avoids the use of hazardous chemicals, making it the green technology to support the green hydrogen economy.

By the conclusion of this 3-year project, Naco aims to launch a mass production pilot line. Industry leaders, such as Toyota and Ballard, have already endorsed the project.

Future Outlook

We see it as a future-proof nano-coating technology solution that hydrogen industry requires in order to be competitive and leverage the cost / scalability of hydrogen technologies, eventually also reducing the cost of the green hydrogen.