Hydrogen production course by electrolysis
Online course of 300 hours in hydrogen production by electrolysis. 6 modules covering water electrolysis electrochemistry, electrolyser technologies, balance of plant, integration with renewables and the grid, and safety, permitting and economics to ISO 22734 and ATEX, with an assigned technical tutor.
Hydrogen production course by electrolysis — studying from South Africa
South Africa's transition to electromobility is gaining momentum, with automotive manufacturers evaluating electric and hybrid models and local battery and hydrogen research under way. The country has significant mineral resources, including platinum group metals relevant to fuel cells, and universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research support work on energy storage and hydrogen technologies. Government policy on the energy transition shapes investment in charging infrastructure and related industries. Engineers in this field work across vehicle systems, power electronics and energy storage.
Fees for South Africa: R 13 900 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Is this qualification recognised by South African bodies in electromobility, batteries or hydrogen?
ECSA is the statutory registration body for engineers in South Africa, and there is no separate national register for electromobility or hydrogen specialists. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and are not accredited by a national body. Whether employers or the relevant professional body recognise them is their decision, so confirm this with them before you enrol.
Are there South African employers in batteries or hydrogen who might value this training?
South Africa has growing interest in electric mobility, battery storage and green hydrogen, with activity in automotive, energy and research organisations. Employers generally look for experience, technical competence and recognised qualifications. A private online programme may help you show specialist knowledge, but it does not guarantee a job. Discuss the programme with target employers and use it alongside practical experience.
Can I manage this with work, and does employer funding exist?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you need strong English. Study is remote, so no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, which many employers offer for professional development in general terms.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Apply the thermodynamic and kinetic principles of water electrolysis.
Compare alkaline, PEM, AEM and solid oxide electrolyser technologies.
Design the balance of plant of an electrolysis installation.
Integrate electrolysers with renewable generation and flexible operation.
Assess plant safety through ATEX zoning and HAZOP.
Calculate the CAPEX, OPEX and levelised cost of the hydrogen produced.
Develop the preliminary design of an electrolysis production plant.
Who it's for
- Hydrogen process engineers.
- Electrolysis project engineers.
- Plant operations technicians.
- Industrial safety engineers.
- Techno-economic analysts.
- Renewable integration engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter hydrogen production.
What you'll work with
- ISO 22734 (hydrogen generators using water electrolysis)
- Directive 2014/34/EU, ATEX (equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres)
- Directive 2014/68/EU (pressure equipment)
- IEC 60079-10-1 (classification of areas: explosive gas atmospheres)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1184 (rules for producing renewable fuels of non-biological origin)
- ISO 14687 (hydrogen fuel quality)
- Directive 2010/75/EU (industrial emissions)
- Royal Decree 681/2003 (worker protection in explosive atmospheres, Spain)
- Aspen Plus
- HOMER Pro
- PVsyst
- COMSOL Multiphysics
- MATLAB
6 modules
1.1Gibbs free energy and reversible voltage1.2Thermoneutral voltage and cell heat balance1.3Activation, ohmic and mass-transport overpotentials1.4Kinetics of the HER and OER reactions1.5Faraday's law and Faradaic efficiency1.6Polarisation curves and their interpretation1.7Efficiency referred to HHV and LHV1.8Influence of temperature and pressure1.9Required water quality and deionisation1.10Workshop: building a polarisation curve
2.1Alkaline electrolyser with diaphragm and KOH electrolyte2.2PEM electrolyser with iridium catalysts2.3AEM anion-exchange membrane electrolysers2.4Solid oxide electrolysis and co-electrolysis2.5Design of bipolar cells and stacks2.6Bipolar plates, porous transport layers and coatings2.7Pressurised versus atmospheric electrolysis2.8Stack degradation and service life2.9Manufacturers and technology maturity2.10Practical exercise: technical comparison of electrolyser bids
3.1Rectifiers and power supply quality3.2Reverse osmosis and electrodeionisation of water3.3Gas-liquid separators and level control3.4Purification with deoxo and adsorption drying3.5Compression of the hydrogen produced3.6Thermal management and process cooling3.7Instrumentation and purity analysis3.8Control system and dynamic operation3.9Managing oxygen as a by-product3.10Case study: process flow diagram of a 10 MW plant
4.1Flexible operation and load ramps4.2Cold start and standby mode4.3Hybridisation with stationary batteries4.4Participation in system balancing services4.5Hourly correlation required for RFNBOs4.6Dispatch optimisation according to electricity price4.7Power ratio between renewables and electrolyser4.8Intermediate hydrogen storage4.9Stack replacement and its economic impact4.10Practical exercise: annual simulation of a wind plant with electrolysis
5.1ATEX zone classification in electrolyser rooms5.2Applying the Pressure Equipment Directive5.3Environmental assessment and industrial emissions5.4Administrative permitting of plants in Spain5.5HAZOP analysis of the electrolysis plant5.6CAPEX and OPEX structure5.7Sensitivity of LCOH to the electricity price5.8EPC contracts and performance guarantees5.9Predictive maintenance of the plant5.10Case study: HAZOP of a hydrogen-water separator
6.1Defining capacity and demand profile6.2Selecting the electrolyser technology6.3Designing the balance of plant6.4Sizing the renewable source6.5Simulating annual production6.6Safety analysis and zoning6.7Economic assessment and levelised cost6.8Permitting and commissioning plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Aspen Plus, HOMER Pro, PVsyst, COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied through real procedures: characterisation of electrolyser polarisation curves, annual simulation of plants coupled to renewables and HAZOP analysis of the balance of plant. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 22734, Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX), Directive 2014/68/EU (pressure equipment), IEC 60079-10-1, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1184, ISO 14687, Directive 2010/75/EU, Royal Decree 681/2003.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Aspen Plus, HOMER Pro, PVsyst, COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer that can run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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