How Demcon works towards a cleaner world

Toon Hermans was previously the managing director of the Demcon location in Enschede, and recently became the managing director of Demcon energy systems in Enschede. “At some point we said to each other within the company: “we would like to contribute to social challenges, and we now really have the power to do so. The energy transition is, of course, one of these challenges. Reducing CO2 emissions and no longer using fossil raw materials is a technological and economical challenge. This transition will not be easy, and will take decades, so we do not want to stand by and do nothing.”

An important trend in the energy transition is the decentralisation of energy generation and energy storage. For example, cooperatives are forming at local and regional levels, in which generators and users want to make smart use of the energy surpluses. Demcon already has significant experience with systems in the high-tech industry, and now wants to use it for the energy transition.

Hermans: “We look at the entire energy system as our playing field; from generation and storage to conversion and use. This allows ups to develop efficient decentralised solutions that cover the entire energy chain. We combine our system knowledge with our broad experience in mechatronics, in order to fully understand the energy processes. We want to understand what is happening so that we can build an optimal system.”

In reality, this means that Demcon focuses on the hydrogen economy, among other things. Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier. Only water and electricity are released during “combustion”. Hydrogen can be produced in a sustainable way, with wind or solar energy. It can be used in fuel cells for electric cars, for example, and it may, in time, replace natural gas. Demcon produces electrolysers, among other things, which convert electricity into hydrogen. Hermans: “We focus on the heart of the electrolyser, the stack, where the electrolysis reaction takes place. 

A major theme within the energy transition is storage. The prices of raw materials are rising due to the strongly increasing demand for batteries and accumulators; there is even a threat of scarcity. Demcon energy systems will work on innovations in battery technology. We want to expand our chemical-physical competences even further for this”, says Hermans. “We are working on lithium-based batteries, for example, since they have a higher storage capacity than current ones. And we also see opportunities for innovative materials.”

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