Solid Oxide Electrolysis
This report provides a summary assessment of the state of solid oxide electrolysis technology. In contrast to other, more widely commercialized electrolyzer options, such as polymer membrane or alkaline cells, solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs) operate at much higher temperatures.
This feature confers potential efficiency advantages, which are of interest in light of strong expected future demand for clean hydrogen production using clean electricity powered electrolysis. But high-temperature operation and other features of SOEC systems also pose challenges.
Several key points emerge from this assessment: 1. The maturity of solid oxide electrolysis technology is underestimated. But SOEC manufacturers still have a critical hurdle to clear on the path to successful commercialization: scaling their product offerings from small modules, with capacity in the single-digit megawatts, to large systems with capacities well into the hundreds of megawatts. 2. The capability to manufacture SOECs is not a bottleneck to the wider deployment of this technology – in fact, gigawatt-scale manufacturing could be built up in 18 to 36 months. As with any technology, supply chains need to be managed prudently, but there is no shortage of raw materials. 3. The types of industrial facilities that are well suited for integration with SOEC include ammonia, chemical, and steel plants, as well as refineries.
The chief advantage of SOECs over other electrolyzer architectures, such as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), alkaline, or anion exchange membrane (AEM), is predicated on the ability to access an external source of process heat. Without an external source of heat for steam generation, the potential 20% efficiency advantage of solid oxide systems over future competing electrolyzer architectures largely disappears. 4. High-temperature operation is a double edged sword: it increases electrolyzer efficiency on the one hand but due to thermal stresses increases the probability of accelerated stack failure on the other.
New materials, advances in manufacturing techniques, and growing manufacturer and operator experience, including with solid oxide fuel cells, a closely related technology, have led to vastly improved durability. 5. Wider SOEC deployment has been held back, not only by the perception that the technology is immature, but also because demand for electrolyzers in general has been limited until recently.
Responding to growing interest in decarbonization options, particularly for hard to electrify sectors, some solid oxide technology vendors have begun adding an electrolyzer product to their offerings.
Industrial customers that are already using hydrogen, including chemical plant and refinery operators, are actively looking at SOECs. Solid oxide electrolysis is also of strong potential interest to up-and-coming companies that are pursuing synthetic fuel production and new nuclear energy technologies, but these potential partners.
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