Post by EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH

We were pleased to contribute to the Aachen Hydrogen Colloquium 2026, where our colleagues Nadja Sommer and Fabian Mönch presented the latest results on the durability of PEM fuel cell stacks under demanding freeze-start conditions. Their presentation, “Successful Demonstration of Long-Term Durability Including Extensive Freeze Start Cycling”, showcased a successful long-term durability demonstration under realistic operating conditions, including: ✅ More than 120 freeze-start cycles successfully completed ✅ System-representative test setup reflecting real-world operation ✅ Operation without external heating elements (e.g., PTC heaters) ✅ Proven long-term stability despite repeated exposure to severe freeze conditions The results demonstrate that optimized operating strategies combined with robust hardware design (including stack, cell, and MEA) can minimize performance degradation even after extensive freeze-start cycling. A big thank you to the organizers of AHC2026 and to all participants for the valuable discussions and exchange of ideas. We are proud to contribute to advancing fuel cell technology for reliable operation in challenging environments. SupplHyInno Rhineland - the Hydrogen Clusters4Future #EKPOLive #AHC2026 #Hydrogen #FuelCell #Durability #FreezeStart #HydrogenTechnology #Innovation