2023 highlights in Solid Oxides
Solid Oxide Cells are the most efficient solution within hydrogen technologies, and they have the potential to become very cost-competitive very soon as they are made of cheap and abundant materials. In addition, they have the unique property to operate reversibly (both fuel cell and electrolyser mode) and to do the electrolysis of CO2 (as MOXIE from OxEon is doing in Mars to produce O2) or to use hydrocarbons (i.e., natural gas) in fuel cell mode.
Solid Oxide main characteristic re-cap
The figure below shows the different applications that the technology could have depending if it is operating in fuel cell or electrolysis mode.
The table below shows the different type of cells that SOFC/SOEC can adopt depending where they are supported (electrode, electrolyte o metal). It also shows the more common materials used in the cells where it is highlighted the potential of SOFC/SOEC to become very cost-competitive as all these materials are cheap and abundant.
The table below shows the main characteristics of Solid Oxides regarding cell voltage, fuel flexibility, surface area, stack size and efficiency depending if they operate in fuel cell or electrolysis mode. Current status and near future developments (2030) are also shown.
The main characteristics of Solid Oxide Electrolysis vs low temperature is the higher efficiency based on the thermochemical difference of the water electrolysis at high temperature. At high temperature (>500 C), the reaction can take place very close but below the thermoneutral point of the reaction (1.29 V), achieving therefore efficiencies very close to 100 % at the stack level. On the other hand, low temperature electrolyser needs to apply more current to overcome the overpotential of the much slower reaction.
2023 highlights
2023 has probably been the more exciting year for Solid Oxide people. As you know, I have been working at different levels with this technology since the beginning of my career, back in 2005. We have shown the world that years of efforts have paid off and that with the help of many others, we are ready to bring this technology to contribute to the fight against climate change.
Let me highlight in this post as an early Christmas celebration the status of this technology by referring to the more important players ready to the challenge. Keep in mind that all these companies have been around more than 20 years, so I am very glad for their success:
1. BloomEnergy. Bloom is one of the oldest players in the field. Very strong in the US, they have deployed so far more than 1 GW of solid oxide fuel cells. They have come out this year with their commercial electrolysis proposal offering modules of 120 kW to build 2 MW blocks with efficiencies as low as 37 kWh/kg and CAPEX of $1200-$1350 in the next two years.
2. Ceres. With a unique proposition as a licensor of technology, Ceres proposition differs to the rest as to have what they call a “steel-cell”, a metal-supported solution that allows them to operate at very low temperatures (around 600 °C). They have reached important licensing contracts within their fuel cell technology with large companies as Bosch, Doosan or Weichai and recently shown the completion of their 1 MW electrolyser pilot.
3. Elcogen. Component manufacturer of cells and stacks based in Estonia and Finland and with the more efficient technology in fuel cell operation and unique proposition with a reversible solution. Essential in the future for the development of more solid oxide technology to cope with the large demand (>100 GW) of the coming years. This is put in evidence with their recent agreement with the French company Genvia or the South Korean Hyunday through Korea Shipbuilding and Offsore Engineering.
4. Topsoe. After having in the market a CO2-electrolysis product, the Danish-based company will deliver full electrolysis systems thanks to a newly built factory by 2025 and capacity for 500 MW. Topsoe has also a unique position as they are currently working in very close relationship with the ammonia industry, future early adopters of electrolysis technology.
5. Fuel Cell Energy. Probably the oldest of all of them, around since 1969. Position in both fuel cells and electrolysis, they differentiate from the rest for their molten carbonate fuel cell solution. As the recent agreement with Exxon Mobil shows, this technology can work as carbon capture and storage solution allowing them to reduce CO2 emissions of power plants while increasing electricity output.
6. Sunfire. Although with much more focus lately in Alkaline technologies, the German-based company is worth it to be included here as well. They have recently commissioned one of the largest SOEC systems so far (2.3 MW in port of Rotterdam) and they propose a solution for co-electrolysis (CO2 and H2O) and therefore, production of syngas.
If you want more information and details, please be in touch with them a. Finally, to the rest of the SOEC players fighting hard to contribute and not included here, please use the comments to show the world what you can do. All those TWs to be installed will not be possible without more players.