BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) has inaugurated a new laboratory in Hannover, Germany, dedicated to advancing research on anode and cathode platinum group metal (PGM)-containing catalysts and components for water electrolysis. This move is geared towards meeting the increasing demand in the green hydrogen market. The laboratory will benefit from the vast expertise of the Research, Development and Application (RD&A) laboratories at the same location. Saeed Alerasool, Senior Vice President of RD&A at ECMS, highlighted Hannover's long-standing reputation as a hub for developing automotive emissions catalysts. The new laboratory will focus on synthesizing and characterizing advanced water electrolysis catalysts, with a particular emphasis on developing low-iridium (Ir) catalysts to address the scarcity and high cost of iridium in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. The goal is to reduce iridium content while maintaining efficiency and durability. Besides catalyst development, the lab will conduct electrochemical testing of catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) to evaluate performance under various conditions and support customer-specific projects. It will also engage in fuel cell testing to aid customers in the region with product development. ECMS sees this new lab as a strategic move to bolster its product portfolio for the entire hydrogen value chain, ultimately aiming to decrease costs for electrolysers and fuel cells. Aligned with its commitment to the global energy transition and decarbonisation, ECMS plans to leverage its partnerships and networks to ensure that research conducted in the new lab stays at the forefront of innovation and remains commercially relevant.