SunHydrogen Achieves 12.3% Solar-to-Hydrogen Efficiency in US Tests as Austin Modules Complete Two-Week Outdoor Trial

SunHydrogen, Inc. (OTCQB: HYSR), a Coralville, Iowa-based developer of renewable hydrogen technology, announced on Oct. 13, 2026, that small-scale modules developed with CTF Solar GmbH achieved a 12.3% active-area solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency in laboratory testing conducted at the Honda R&D Co., Ltd. research facility in Japan.

The result surpasses the 10.8% STH efficiency Honda R&D previously validated for the company.

Higher Efficiency Tied to New Cell Layout

The 12.3% figure was recorded on modules built with a new cell layout that improved solar cell output, which SunHydrogen described as a key metric for water splitting.

In collaboration with CTF Solar GmbH, the company developed these small-scale modules to demonstrate the efficiency gain.

"This result is evidence that our cell design work with CTF Solar can deliver higher efficiencies, and higher efficiency is a critical part of the path toward more economical hydrogen," said President and CEO Tim Young.

Young stated that the next step is carrying the efficiency gains to larger prototypes, with the eventual goal of incorporating them into the full-size panels being tested in Austin, which the company says are designed for commercial manufacture using existing manufacturing infrastructure.

Four New Modules Running Steadily at Austin Pilot Plant

In the field, SunHydrogen recently shipped four new modules to its pilot plant at the Hydrogen ProtoHub, a facility co-managed by The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) and GTI Energy. Since installation, the modules have delivered two weeks of consistent performance under real outdoor conditions.

The new modules incorporate improvements made by the SunHydrogen team following initial commissioning, and the company reports that data collected in Austin continues to guide its engineering work as the technology moves from controlled laboratory testing to outdoor operation.

CEO Addresses Shareholders on Lab-to-Field Hurdles

In a message to shareholders, Young thanked investors for their patience and support, acknowledging that the transition from laboratory to real-world testing in Austin has brought challenges.

He said such challenges are expected for any new technology and that the team, together with partners at The University of Texas at Austin, GTI Energy, CTF Solar, and Honda R&D, is working through them one by one. He also expressed gratitude for the commitment of employees and partners.

Live Demonstrations at UT Austin Hydrogen Days

On October 9, 2026, Young spoke at UT Austin Hydrogen Days, held at the Hydrogen ProtoHub.

Following his remarks, Young and Hans Peter Klein, US Managing Director, fielded questions from attendees and led demonstrations of SunHydrogen modules producing hydrogen on site.

"Hydrogen Days gave us the chance to show people our technology working outside the lab," Young said. "Seeing the modules produce hydrogen in person, and answering direct questions about how they work, is the best way to explain what we are building."

Young credited Michael Lewis, Director of the Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, and Austin Mabrey, Research Engineer and lead operator of the Hydrogen ProtoHub, for hosting the event and supporting the pilot plant.

He also thanked GTI Energy for its safety review and on-site systems integration support. Klein noted that the questions raised during the event were practical and thoughtful.

"People wanted to understand cost, durability, and where this technology fits. Those are the same questions guiding our work in Austin," he said.

Market Context and Company Technology

SunHydrogen is developing technologies to produce renewable hydrogen in a market that Goldman Sachs estimates will be worth more than USD 1 trillion per year by 2050. Its patented SunHydrogen Panel technology, currently in development, uses sunlight and water to produce low-cost renewable hydrogen.

The company's stated vision is to become a major technology supplier in the hydrogen economy, producing panels that generate renewable hydrogen the way solar panels generate electricity.

Through developing, acquiring, and partnering on other critical technologies, SunHydrogen intends to enable emission-free hydrogen production for industrial uses such as fertilizer and petroleum refining, along with fuel cell applications for mobility and data centers.

The company's release included a standard safe harbor statement cautioning that matters discussed may contain forward-looking statements, that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied, and that risks and uncertainties are described in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.