Ms. Jocelyne Moyer reports

NEXT HYDROGEN SECURES UP TO $2 MILLION NRCAN CONTRIBUTION FUNDING TO ADVANCE CANADIAN COMMERCIAL ELECTROLYZER TECHNOLOGY

Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. has secured a non-repayable contribution agreement with the government of Canada through Natural Resources Canada's Energy Innovation Program (NRCan) for funding of up to $2-million for additional research to develop scalable fabrication processes for commercial electrolyzer modules.

This funding will support R&D (research and development) activities focused on improving the efficiency, performance and cost of Next Hydrogen's commercial electrolyzer modules. As an initial project milestone, the company is targeting cell performance of 1.8 volts per cell at 1.0 ampere per square centimetre by Q1 2027, consistent with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 2026 technical target for alkaline water electrolysis. The project's ultimate performance target is 1.7 volts per cell at 1.2 amperes per square centimetre, targeted for achievement by September, 2028.

The technologies developed through this project are expected to enhance the competitiveness of Next Hydrogen's commercial products by lowering energy consumption and reducing the cost of green hydrogen production. As electricity accounts for 60 per cent to 70 per cent of hydrogen production operating costs, these efficiency gains are expected to reduce electricity consumption of its electrolyzer modules per kilogram of hydrogen produced by approximately 8 per cent as well as reducing the cost of fabricating its electrolyzers.

The company anticipates achieving the initial performance milestone of 1.8 volts per cell at 1.0 ampere per square centimetre by Q1 2027, with the project continuing toward the ultimate target of 1.7 volts per cell at 1.2 amperes per square centimetre by September, 2028.

"We are grateful for NRCan's support of this important initiative," said Jocelyne Moyer, president and chief executive officer of Next Hydrogen. "This investment will help advance our electrolyzer technology to have performance levels aligned with the U.S. DOE/H2NEW long-term vision for alkaline water electrolysis while supporting lower hydrogen production costs for our customers. We expect the innovations developed through this project to be incorporated into our commercial electrolyzer platform in early 2027, further enhancing its efficiency and competitiveness. By improving project economics and making clean hydrogen more affordable, this initiative can help accelerate market adoption while reinforcing Canada's leadership in hydrogen innovation and the transition to a low-carbon economy."

"Building Canada's energy future depends on building and scaling the technologies that will power our economy for decades to come. Investments in Canadian innovators like Next Hydrogen are strengthening our energy security, supporting growth and turning Canadian expertise into real-world solutions. By supporting innovation today, we are building the stronger, more competitive energy sector Canada needs for generations to come," said Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

About Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.

Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen is a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers that use water and electricity to generate clean hydrogen for use as a clean energy source. Next Hydrogen's unique cell design architecture, supported by over 40 patents, enables superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on a commercial infrastructure scale.

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