The Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network (SPIN) welcomes a new research member: the Group of Energy Materials (GEM) at EPFL. Led by MER Dr Jan Van herle, the group is part of EPFL’s Institute of Mechanical Engineering and is based on the EPFL Valais Wallis campus in Sion. GEM works on exactly the two devices at the heart of Power-to-X: electrolysers that turn renewable electricity into fuel, and fuel cells that turn fuel back into electricity. Jan Van herle has also agreed to serve on SPIN’s Scientific Advisory Board in a personal capacity.

Who is GEM?

According to the group’s own description, GEM is a multidisciplinary team specialised in fuel cells and electrolysis that builds on 35 years of experience. Around two thirds of its work concerns high-temperature ceramic technologies – solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysis (SOFC/SOE) – and one third low-temperature polymer technologies, namely proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and anion exchange membrane electrolysis (AEMEL). On its website, the group describes its solid oxide focus at 600–800 °C as a way to convert excess electricity and waste heat into fuel (power-to-gas), and fuels back into electricity and heat.

  • Test infrastructure: around 30 mostly self-developed test benches for cells, stacks and systems of up to 10–30 kW.
  • From testing to understanding: long-term tests are complemented by detailed post-test analysis, including 3D microstructure reconstruction, and by modelling at every level – from electrochemical interfaces and the thermomechanics of stacks to multi-objective optimisation of system design and the safe, optimal control of complete systems.
  • Output and networks: more than 500 publications and strong involvement in EU projects. Measured not by total funding volume but by the number of competitive EU projects granted under Horizon 2020 (2014–2020) and Horizon Europe (2021 to date), GEM is the most successful lab at EPFL – a ranking also noted in EPFL Valais Wallis’s 2025 activity report.
  • Start-ups: two recent spin-offs – DeltaSpark, founded in 2025, and Corrotect, which has just been founded and works on corrosion protection.
  • Team: in 2026, 8 engineers, 9 doctoral students and 11 scientists, plus around 20 master’s students each year.

Seasonal storage in hardware, not only on paper

GEM’s projects address one of the key questions of Switzerland’s energy system: how to move surplus summer electricity into winter. In its 2025 activity report, the group describes three key projects:

  • Reversible-CH₄: a complete pilot installation with a reversible fuel cell/electrolyser system (10/30 kW) to demonstrate seasonal storage of renewable electricity as methane injected into the gas grid. Partners include SolydEra, Gaznat, Oiken and HES-SO; full operation is expected in 2027.
  • ANEMEL: anion exchange membrane water electrolysis using only Earth-abundant materials. The group has operated a 1 kW AEM stack stably in the lab for 2,000 hours. The GEM start-up DeltaSpark is among the partners.
  • HYSPIRE: steam electrolysis in oxygen-ion or proton-conducting ceramics at 500–700 °C, supported by a 3D multi-physics stack model.

The report puts the motivation plainly: storing surplus electricity as fuel reduces dependence on winter electricity imports.

SPIN’s view

Power-to-X stands and falls with the efficiency, durability and cost of electrolysers and fuel cells. GEM is one of the few groups in Switzerland that covers this chain from the microstructure of a single electrode to the control of complete systems – and tests its results in real hardware over long periods. That is precisely the kind of evidence policy-makers and investors need when they decide on seasonal storage and defossilisation.

The Reversible-CH₄ pilot also shows why the carbon side matters. Synthetic methane is only as clean as its inputs: renewable electricity and recycled CO₂ from biogenic, atmospheric or industrial sources, provided that recycling displaces fossil carbon. Projects that link electrolysis, methanation and the existing gas grid turn this principle into practice.

With GEM, SPIN also strengthens its roots in Romandy and in Valais. We warmly welcome Jan Van herle and his team to the network and look forward to working together.

Join SPIN: Companies, research institutions and associations that want to advance Power-to-X in Switzerland are welcome to become members of SPIN. Questions? Write to info@power-to-x.swiss.

Sources: Group of Energy Materials (GEM), self-description and additions provided to SPIN (6, 9 and 10 November 2026); EPFL, Group of Energy Materials – GEM; EPFL Valais Wallis, Activity report 2025: Group of Energy Materials (GEM).

🤖 AI transparency: This text and its visual were created using AI, reviewed and approved by a human.