Collaborative Initiative: Emerging Approach for Eco-friendly Hydrogen Production - Local initiative: Proposed method for producing environmentally friendly hydrogen
Green Hydrogen Community Project Advances High-Temperature Electrolysis in Arnstadt
Thyssenkrupp Nucera and the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems have initiated a pilot plant in Arnstadt, Thuringia, to test a new technology for producing green hydrogen. This partnership sees the Arnstadt facility as a significant step towards the commercial and large-scale industrial use of high-temperature electrolysis (SOEC) technology for hydrogen production.
The two partners believe their method will provide cost advantages in certain applications due to the high efficiency of high-temperature electrolysis. They aim to bring this efficiency to market maturity. Thyssenkrupp Nucera, based in Dortmund, and the Fraunhofer Institute, headquartered in Hermsdorf and Dresden, entered into this collaboration in March 2024.
The pilot production plant, designed and built by the Fraunhofer Institute, will initially produce electrolysis cells in small quantities with a planned production capacity of eight megawatts per year. This new method strengthens Thyssenkrupp Nucera's offer of hydrogen technology for industrial applications.
High-temperature electrolysis could offer companies an efficient way to produce green hydrogen in the future, particularly in sectors with a lot of waste heat, such as the steel industry. Through this process, a reduction in energy consumption of 20 to 30 percent compared to other technologies is possible, the project partners explained. CO2 from industry can be used as a raw material and, together with green hydrogen, can be converted into green synthesis gas. This can be used to produce sustainable chemical building blocks and synthetic fuels.
The CEO of Thyssenkrupp Nucera, Werner Ponikwar, highlighted that electrolysis technology for producing green hydrogen could play a key role in a climate-friendly energy mix. With the pilot plant in Arnstadt, operational experience will be gained for the construction of a large-scale SOEC production plant for high-performance stacks, said IKTS Institute Director Alexander Michaelis.
This initiative has secured substantial EU funding (up to EUR 36 million) to support the construction of a 300-MW green hydrogen plant based on this SOEC technology, indicating strong financial backing and confidence in scalability and economic viability. The partners' aim for market maturity of the process could facilitate industry decarbonization and support sustainable fuel and chemical production as part of the broader energy transition.
- The Community Policy on sustainable energy and the Employment Policy should emphasize the importance of investing in green hydrogen technology, such as the high-temperature electrolysis project in Arnstadt, to promote job creation and foster a low-carbon economy.
- With the advancements in environmental-science and technology, the industry sector can effectively respond to climate-change challenges by adopting high-temperature electrolysis for hydrogen production, which presents a viable solution for decarbonization in energy-intensive industries like steel.
- The employment policy must focus on upskilling the workforce to meet the demands of the green hydrogen industry, ensuring that the transition to clean energy sources leads to employment opportunities in the field of science, finance, and energy.
- The Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences could incorporate green hydrogen production and SOEC technology in its academic programs to prepare students for future careers in this emerging sector, addressing the talent gap and fostering innovation in related fields like energy, technology, and environmental-science.
