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SCIENCE PARK EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS. (5 November, 2025) - Testing has started at Prodrive Technologies’ new 4MW test facility at its HQ in Son, the Netherlands. It will be used in the coming months and years to explore and perfect the performance of their new SiC-based ‘Hydra’ rectifier system by covering all possible operational conditions and loads. These tests will provide customers, like electrolyser OEMs, EPCs, and green hydrogen project developers, the evidence and confidence needed to integrate these rectifiers at GW-scale.
The test facility enables multiple high-power tests to run in parallel. In a smart back-to-back configuration, one system can serve as the power supply while the other will function as a grid-connected load, feeding energy back and enabling a closed-loop test without external energy waste.
The Hydra rectifier system consists of 250kW liquid cooled dual stage converter modules contained in high power density but accessible racks (~2MW/m2) that can be paralleled to support operation of electrolyser building blocks of up to 24MW. Because of this modular design the converter efficiency has both a remarkably high peak efficiency of 98.6% and a EURO efficiency (average efficiency over load range) of 98.5%. Due to the use of SiC technology, total harmonic distortion of the converter system stays below 1%, ensuring seamless integration and eliminating the need for external filters, STATCOMs, or custom transformers, offering a compact, cost-effective, and scalable solution for GW+ scale hydrogen projects.
“This milestone proves our commitment to delivering next-generation technology that supports the energy transition,” said Wouter van Gennip, Commercial Director at Prodrive Technologies. “Hydra continues to push technical boundaries, enabling our customers to scale green hydrogen or ammonia production without compromising efficiency or grid compatibility.”
The first factory acceptance testing has already concluded successfully at this new facility, after which Hydra systems have been delivered to one of the largest multinational oil and gas companies for further field testing.
Prodrive technologies is a privately owned Dutch high-tech electronics developer and manufacturer bringing innovations for over 30 years to the energy infrastructure, semiconductor, healthcare, and e-mobility industries. It employs over 2200 professionals, of which over 500 in R&D and engineering.