Innovative technology for production of pressurized hydrogen
Water electrolysis for green hydrogen production or, more generally, Power-to-X (P2X) technologies are considered one of the most promising solutions for massive energy storage of the electricity intermittently generated by renewable power sources as well as a smart solution for decarbonizing energy-intensive sectors (e.g., iron and steel, refineries, ceramics industry or chemical plants). According to Hydrogen Europe, and the EC Hydrogen strategy projections, 40GW of electrolysis will be installed by 2030 in Europe.
Among the different types of electrolysis systems, those based on high-temperature Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs) are, by far, the most efficient ones.
One of the most important limitations of SOEL is its stable operation at atmospheric pressure, which represents a major barrier for the use of this efficient technologyin many relevant applications requiring pressurized hydrogen such as gas grid injection (Power-to-Gas, P2G) or hydrogen storage at high pressure like in the case of Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRSs). Undoubtedly, reaching stable and durable SOEC operation at high pressure has the potential to provide a cost-effective solution for hydrogen production in industrial and transport sectors.
The HyP3D project will demonstrate the viability of a disruptive high-pressure SOEL technology based on unique advantages of sustainable 3D printing manufacturing.