2020/3/26 · A 2018 study by Fraunhofer ISE and IPA estimated the investment costs for a PEM electrolyzer that produces one standard cubic meter of hydrogen in one hour at around $7,600. In the meantime, however, prices have fallen to between $4,900 and $6,000, says Tom Smolinka, head of the department for chemical energy storage at Fraunhofer ISE and one of the authors of the study.