[ electrolysis ] challenges facing many US nuclear plants , with over a third of them deemed unprofitable or slated for retirement . Such profitability challenges intensify when natural gas prices plummet , or renewable electricity becomes exceedingly competitive . This is where the synergy between nuclear power and SOECs becomes truly captivating .
Leveraging nuclear power as an electricity source and tapping into its waste heat for hydrogen production can yield some of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly hydrogen among its counterparts . SOECs , renowned for their high efficiency and operation at elevated temperatures , can be integrated into nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen at competitive costs .
What truly sets this synergy apart is the ability to integrate waste heat with SOEC technology , bolstering system efficiency by a remarkable 10 – 15 %. Nuclear waste heat , valued for its low marginal cost electricity , often as affordable as USD 20 per MWh , aligns well with the ideal temperature range for SOEC , which hovers around 600 ° C . Placing these SOEC hydrogen production facilities in close proximity to nuclear facilities can emerge as a fitting strategy .
Similarly , the potential exists to integrate SOEC hydrogen production plants with industries such as steel , lime , glass , and more , all of which boast waste heat sources at ideal SOEC operating temperatures . As the learning curve for SOEC technology advances over time , these integrated projects hold the potential to deliver some of the most economical and environmentally friendly sources of hydrogen , while concurrently decarbonizing these crucial industrial sectors .
Key players and activities
Some of the key manufacturers of SOECs include Bloom Energy , Sunfire , Mitsubishi
Power , and Topsoe . Currently , SOEC systems are typically limited to smaller stack sizes compared to AE and PEM systems . However , these leading companies have announced projects aimed at supplying higher-capacitystack SOEC systems .
Bloom Energy has recently announced its involvement in the Nujio ’ qonik project , a significant USD 4.5 billion intercontinental green hydrogen commercialization initiative in Canada . This project , led by World Energy GH2 in Canada , aims to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia in Newfoundland and Labrador by 2025 and 2026 , respectively . Bloom Energy boasts production lines with the capacity to manufacture 2 GW of SOECs annually . They claim their electrolyzers to be 45 % more efficient than PEM and AE systems , making them a competitive choice .
Sunfire , another key player in the SOEC market , also asserts its efficiency , claiming its electrolyzers to be 20 % more efficient than other types . Mitsubishi Power is set to supply solid oxide electrolyzers for a project that includes 220 MW electrolyzers with 40 units featuring a 5 MW stack cell size . Topsoe ’ s SOEC manufacturing plant passed FID stage for a capacity of 500 MW per year , with an option to expand to 5 GW .
About the author
Sanjay Purswani is a Senior Knowledge Analyst at Boston Consulting Group with over 6 years of experience in hydrogen and renewable natural gas topics . His expertise lies in project development , techno-economics , and technology assessment in the lowcarbon fuels sector .
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 12 | October 2023 21