The Austrian technology group AVL has announced a partnership with the Estonian company Elcogen. Together, they aim to develop SOEC stacks in the megawatt range.
The collaboration combines AVL's expertise in the development of SOFC/SOEC systems and stacks with Elcogen's corresponding cells and stacks. The project integrates the companies' IPCEI projects. Both are part of the Hy2Tech wave.
The companies intend to focus on the scalability of the technology. Converting the rather small SOEC cells into modules with several megawatts of power is considered a technological challenge. Together, AVL and Elcogen plan to combine the Estonian developer's stacks into a stack module to enable the "industrial use" of the technology.
Modular Solutions for Industrial Use
Martin Skov Skjøth-Rasmussen, CTO of the company Elcogen, which was founded in 2021, commented: "Through this joint initiative and the combination of Elcogen's and AVL's complementary expertise under the umbrella of IPCEI Hy2Tech, we will advance modular solutions for the industrial application of solid oxide technology and enable the step towards the desired industrially relevant plants."
The SOEC technology inherently offers higher efficiencies than alkaline, PEM, or AEM electrolysis. When SOEC is coupled with external heat sources from industrial processes, efficiencies of 90% and more can be achieved. Recently, the industry giant Thyssenkrupp Nucera has also entered SOEC research.
This gives the technology great potential for industries with high waste heat. It is particularly suitable for hydrogen production in steel mills or refineries. It is also applicable for the production of e-fuels (SAF, e-ammonia, e-methanol, etc.) due to the waste heat from the synthesis process.
