• About Sunfire

    Renewables everywhere

At a glance

Sunfire is a global leader for industrial electrolyzers. With our innovative and proven solutions, we are addressing a key challenge of today’s energy system: Providing renewable hydrogen and Syngas as substitutes for fossil energy sources. Our electrolyzers – based on alkaline and solid oxide (SOEC) technologies – enable the transformation of energy-intensive sectors such as the chemical, fuel and steel industries.

Sunfire employs more than 500 people in Germany and Switzerland. We are backed by leading strategic and financial investors such as Neste and SMS Group – global leaders in renewable fuels and steel. With a well-established partner network, we realize large hydrogen and e-Fuel projects to deliver on our promise: Replacing fossil fuels with renewables in all areas of life – creating a sustainable future for generations to come.

 

Sunfire locations

Management Team

Nils Aldag
CEO & Founder
Christian von Olshausen
CTO & Founder
Bernhard Zwinz
COO
Frank Posnanski
CFO

 

Our journey

2023

Serial Production Launch

Pressurized alkaline electrolysis

Sunfire inaugurates its electroplating line in Solingen, becoming one of the first companies to begin serial production of electrolyzers.

See for yourself!

2022

SERIES D-2 ROUND

€86 million ($97 million)

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Blue Earth Capital are joining as new investors while Carbon Direct Capital Management is expanding its commitment. Sunfire is also entering into a framework agreement with CIP for its alkaline electrolyzers.

2021

MTV NT

Acquisition

Sunfire is acquiring the Solingen branch of MTV NT GmbH. The German electroplating specialist is one of the world leaders in functional surface coating for large components.

Series D round

€109 million ($125 million)

Sunfire secures new funding from a consortium of investors led by Lightrock and Planet First Partners, and including Carbon Direct Capital Management, HydrogenOne Capital, and existing shareholders.

2020

IHT

Alkaline electrolysis acquisition

Sunfire acquires Alkaline electrolysis company IHT with more than 70 years of manufacturing and operating experience.

Norsk e-Fuel

Foundation

Sunfire joins forces with Climeworks, SMS group and Valinor to build the world’s first industrial-size Power-to-Liquids (PtL) plant.

2019

SOEC Electrolyzers

Next generation

Sunfire starts validation of the next generation electrolyzers within the 2nd phase of the German government-funded Kopernikus program “Power-to-X” and the FCH JU-funded MultiPLHY project with Neste.

 

2018

New Enerday GmbH

Fuel cell acquisition

Sunfire expands fuel cell portfolio and bundles all activities for home micro-CHPs and remote off-grid power solutions in Neubrandenburg, Germany.

2016

SOEC Electrolyzers

Next generation

Sunfire starts validation of the next generation electrolyzers within the FCH-JU-funded steel project GrInHy with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH and the 1st phase of the German government-funded Kopernikus program “Power-to-X”.

2014

Power-to-Liquid

Demonstration Plant

Sunfire opens the world’s first demonstration plant for Power-to-Liquid in Dresden, producing renewable e-Fuels including diesel, naphtha and waxes.

SOEC Electrolyzers

First generation

Sunfire starts validation of itas first electrolyzer for Boeing.

2012

SOEC Electrolyzers

Prototype

Sunfire starts validation of the first electrolyzer prototype.

2011

Staxera GmbH

Fuel cell acquisition

Sunfire acquires a high temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) company as nucleus for subsequent electrolyzer developments.

2010

Company foundation

The beginning

Nils Aldag, Christian von Olshausen and Carl Berninghausen start out with the vision to commercialize innovative electrolysis solutions to bring renewables everywhere.

 

 

An Award-winning company

We have been honored with national and international awards for our innovative SOEC technology. We are proud of our achievements towards a better and cleaner world. And our journey has just begun.

2020

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

Sunfire was named by Cleantech Group in the prestigious 2020 Global Cleantech 100. The Global Cleantech 100 is an annual guide to the leading companies and themes in sustainable innovation. It features the private, independent, for-profit companies best positioned to solve tomorrow’s clean technology challenges. 

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD 

2019

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

Sunfire was named by Cleantech Group in the prestigious 2019 Global Cleantech 100. The Global Cleantech 100 is an annual guide to the leading companies and themes in sustainable innovation. It features the private, independent, for-profit companies best positioned to solve tomorrow’s clean technology challenges.

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

2018

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

For the fourth time, Sunfire is named in the prestigious 2018 Global Cleantech 100, produced by Cleantech Group. The Global Cleantech 100 represents the most innovative and promising ideas impacting the future of a wide-range of industries. 12,300 nominations of distinct companies from 61 countries have been received.

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

2017

KANTHAL® AWARD

Sunfire is the winner of the 2017 Kanthal® Award, which recognizes innovations related to new solutions in the fields of sustainability, quality of life and energy efficiency. The award mainly honored Sunfire's process for producing a substitute for fossil oil and gas (so called e-Fuel) based on renewable electricity, carbon dioxide and water.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

2017

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

For the third time, Sunfire is named in the prestigious 2017 Global Cleantech 100, a list compiled by the Cleantech Group. The list includes independent, profit-led clean-tech companies not yet listed on the stock exchange. In 2017, more than 9,900 companies were nominated from 77 countries – a new record.

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

2016

INNOVATION & CLIMATE PROTECTION AWARD

Sunfire’s reversible electrolysis wins the Innovation & Climate Protection Award. The awards were organized for the 19th time by the Working Group on Efficient, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Consumption (ASUE) in cooperation with BDEW, DVGW and Zukunft ERDGAS. They honor innovative developments and concepts from the worlds of both science and industry, with particular focus placed on efficient natural gas technologies and processes.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

2016

FAST COMPANY’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

Alongside Toyota and Tesla, Sunfire is listed on the renowned annual ranking by Fast Company as one of the ten most innovative energy companies worldwide. In the “Energy” category, Sunfire is ranked number 8 for “brewing ‘e-diesel’ from water and air”. Fast Company is one of the world’s most well-read online journals for decision-makers at innovative companies, focusing on technology, business, and design.

ENERGY SECTOR: FOR AN "E-DIESEL" FROM WATER AND AIR

2015

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

Sunfire is named once more in the prestigious 2015 Global Cleantech 100, produced by the Cleantech Group. The list includes independent, profit-led clean-tech companies not yet listed on the stock exchange. A record number of nominations were received, with more than 6,900 companies from 60 countries.

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

2015

HANDELSBLATT ENERGY AWARDS

Sunfire's reversible electrolysis wins the Energy Award in the “Industry” category as ground-breaking technology for the energy transition. The Energy Awards annually honor the best innovations and ideas in the field of energy. They were initiated by Handelsblatt, a leading German business newspaper, and the technology group GE. In 2015, 108 companies applied for the coveted award.

INDUSTRY

2015

ECOSUMMIT AWARD

83 candidates from 14 countries — once again, Sunfire was delighted to come second place at the 2015 Ecosummit Award. This annually presented international award was initiated by Mobile Economy GmbH and is primarily targeted at start-ups with "green innovations".

START-UP IN THE LATE STAGE

2014

ECOSUMMIT AWARD

Sunfire is awarded silver at the 2014 Ecosummit Awards. The judges rated 49 nominees from 13 countries. The annually presented Ecosummit Awards were initiated by Mobile Economy GmbH. The international prize is primarily targeted at start-ups with “green innovations”.

SMART GREEN START-UPS WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES OF SUCCESS

2014

GLOBAL CLEANTECH100

Sunfire is named one of the world's 100 most innovative clean-tech companies, from among nearly 6,000 companies from 60 countries. The list includes clean-tech companies which have earned a mention for particularly innovative, pioneering developments in the field of clean technologies.

MOST PROMISING CLEANTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

2013

STEP AWARD

Sunfire wins the STEP Award, in the category “Processes & Sustainability”. The application focused on the business idea and the management team. Since 2006, the STEP Award has honored innovative, rapidly growing companies. The prize was initiated by Infraserv Höchst and the F.A.Z. Institute.

PROCESSES AND SUSTAINABILITY

Join our team

Are you ready to shape the future and create a world without fossil fuels? We are always looking for talented and motivated individuals who want to contribute their knowledge and expertise to advancing our unique electrolysis solutions. Join us and become part of a highly qualified team full of energy.

Apply now!

 

Activities beyond electrolysis

Sunfire is not only recognized as a leading industrial electrolysis company - we also offer an off-grid power supply solution based on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. Sunfire-Remote enables clean and reliable power supply in moderate and harsh environments.

Fuel cells for off-grid power generation


Sunfire-Remote

Reliable off-grid power supply

 

Get the details

 

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