Thyssenkrupp Nucera and Fraunhofer IKTS opened the first SOEC pilot production plant for electrolysis stacks in Arnstadt, Thuringia, on May 27. The event was also attended by the Minister President of the State of Thuringia, Prof. Dr. Mario Voigt. With the commissioning of the pilot production plant, the strategic partnership between Fraunhofer IKTS and Thyssenkrupp Nucera for the development of high-temperature electrolysis (SOEC) to market maturity is entering the next phase.
Expansion of the hydrogen portfolio
In March 2024, the research institute and the provider of highly efficient electrolysis technology for the production of green hydrogen in Arnstadt signed a contract for strategic cooperation in the development of the next-generation SOEC electrolyzer. Building on the development work of Fraunhofer IKTS, the SOEC technology for the production of stacks for the production of green hydrogen on a large industrial scale will now be advanced together with Thyssenkrupp Nucera. Thyssenkrupp Nucera is strengthening its hydrogen technology portfolio for industrial applications with high-temperature electrolysis.
Robust and efficient electrolysis stacks
The electrolysis stacks are manufactured in the pilot production plant designed and built by Fraunhofer IKTS. The SOEC pilot plant will initially produce stacks in small quantities and has a targeted production capacity of 8 megawatts per year. These stacks are the heart of the future SOEC electrolyzers from thyssenkrupp Nucera.
High corrosion resistance
The SOEC stack technology is based on an oxygen-conducting ceramic electrolyte substrate with two electrodes, which are assembled together with coupling elements, the chromium-iron (CF) interconnectors, on several layers to form the stack. The CF-based SOEC technology guarantees high corrosion resistance, optimized thermal cycle performance and high long-term stability with regard to thermal cycling. In addition, the stack technology requires a small number of components and occupies a leading position compared to the designs currently available on the world market. The SOEC cell design is also well suited to the highly automated series production that is being targeted. The production of high-temperature electrolysers is therefore cost-efficient and competitive on the market.
Green hydrogen with high efficiency
With high-temperature electrolysis, companies will be able to produce green hydrogen highly efficiently in the future. It ensures a high level of efficiency, as less electrical energy is required to split the water vapor at high temperatures. If commercial high-temperature electrolysis is used in processes that generate large amounts of waste heat - such as in the steel industry - electricity consumption can be reduced by 20 to 30% compared to other technologies. The technology also offers the advantage of making industrialCO2 usable as a raw material and converting it into green synthesis gas together with green hydrogen.