Can Europe Fix Hydrogen’s Materials Problem?

SUPREME project aims to remove PFAS chemicals and reduce iridium use in next-generation European hydrogen electrolyzers

13 Mar 2026

European researchers are taking aim at two of green hydrogen’s biggest headaches. A new EU-backed project called SUPREME wants to make proton exchange membrane, or PEM, electrolysis cleaner, cheaper, and easier to scale.

The effort is focused on two stubborn weak spots. Today’s PEM systems rely on PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals now facing growing scrutiny in Europe, and on iridium, one of the rarest metals used in clean energy technology.

SUPREME is led by the University of Southern Denmark, working with Graz University of Technology and a wider international consortium. Backed by the European Commission’s Clean Energy Transition Partnership, the three-year program is designed to tackle both problems at once.

That matters because PEM electrolysis has real advantages. It works especially well with wind and solar power, since it can quickly adjust to the ups and downs of renewable electricity. But the materials behind it have become a serious bottleneck.

PFAS compounds have long been used in PEM membranes because they are durable and effective. They also linger in the environment and have raised health concerns, putting them squarely in the path of tighter EU rules.

Iridium presents a different kind of problem. The metal is so scarce that global supply is counted in only a few tons a year, a tough reality for a continent hoping to build hydrogen at industrial scale.

SUPREME’s answer is practical research with a clear commercial aim. Graz University of Technology is testing PFAS-free membrane options against current industry benchmarks, while a partner institution in Turkey is developing new microporous membranes from scratch.

At the same time, the project is working to cut iridium use and improve recycling. That could ease pressure on raw material supply chains and make Europe’s hydrogen plans less vulnerable to shortages.

The timing is hard to ignore. Under its Hydrogen Strategy, Europe is targeting 40 gigawatts of electrolyzer capacity by 2030, and PEM technology is expected to do much of the heavy lifting. If SUPREME succeeds, it could help turn green hydrogen from a promising idea into something Europe can build at scale.