At a glance
- Hydrogen produced with green electricity is intended to provide a relevant share of the energy supply in the EU in the future.
- However, operation of electrolyzers on the required industrial scale will require overcoming a variety of challenges, for example the limited lifetime of the stacks and ensuring reliable electrolyzer operation with a fluctuating energy supply.
- In the EU Clean Hydrogen partnership project DELYCIOUS, the partners are developing a scalable and universal method for the condition monitoring of the electrolyzers employing a unique combination of advanced diagnostic techniques, namely, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Raman spectroscopy.
- Integration of the measurement data from the condition monitoring into an electrolyzer management system (EMS) allows efficient, safe, and reliable operation.
- The project coordinator, Fraunhofer IWES, is responsible among other duties for the validation of the EMS on an industrially relevant scale.
The challenge
Hydrogen produced with green energy should play a strategically important role as a fuel and energy store in the energy system of a climate-neutral Europe. According to the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), it could account for 20% of the EU’s energy mix by 2050. Achieving this goal will require the large-scale use of electrolyzers.
At present, three electrolyzer technologies in particular are in widespread use: alkaline water electrolysis (AEL), proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis, and solid oxide electrolysis (SOEL). However, for them to be used industrially on a large scale, there are still challenges to be overcome independent of the respective technology. These include the limited lifetime of the stacks, the lack of reliable condition monitoring methods for the prediction of optimal operating points and guaranteeing reliable operation with a fluctuating energy supply. In addition, the operating costs for electrolyzers are still high.
The solution
In the EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership project DELYCIOUS, the project partners aim to overcome these challenges. The goal is to combine experimental technologies, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Raman spectroscopy, with modeling approaches in order to render the degradation parameters of the electrolyzers accessible. The findings from the aging processes will be integrated in an electrolyzer management system, thus permitting an improved lifetime and reliability of the systems.
As the basis for the EMS, the scientists are designing hardware and software that is universally applicable and will be validated for all three electrolysis technologies (alkaline, PEM, and solid oxide) on a laboratory scale. For the most widespread of the three, AEL, the measurement technology and the EMS will be integrated into a demonstration system with an electrolyzer in order to validate the method on a larger scale (TRL 6). In addition to an industry-ready solution for the condition monitoring and optimized operation of the electrolyzers, the end result should encompass a roadmap supporting the achievement of the EU goals.
The project coordinator, Fraunhofer IWES, will be contributing its test infrastructure at the Hydrogen Lab Leuna to the project as well as being responsible for the system integration of the measurement technology and validation of the EMS on a large scale. Data and simulations of wind turbines from Fraunhofer IWES in Bremerhaven will form the basis for operational management of the electrolyzer adapted to a fluctuating energy supply.
The added value
The decisive added value of DELYCIOUS lies in the significant reduction of the electrolyzer operating costs. The EMS will improve their reliability and service life sustainably, thereby reducing the investment costs and, not least, the hydrogen prices. The roadmap will additionally deliver the steps for the industrial implementation of the EU expansion plans by 2030 as well as a cost estimate for the years up to 2050. As such, DELYCIOUS is set to make a key contribution to the achievement of the EU goals in the field of green hydrogen.