Durability Milestone Achieved in Steam Electrolysis

The European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER) has reached a significant milestone in steam electrolysis, achieving 5,000 hours of continuous operation with an electrolyte-supported solid oxide cell at a high current density of 1.2 A·cm². This breakthrough, accomplished in June 2024, marks the longest incident-free test at such a high current density reported to date.

The test utilized an advanced electrolyte-supported cell featuring a 40 µm thick 3YSZ electrolyte, supplied by Sunfire. The results demonstrated a low degradation rate of 4 mV/1000 hours, confirming the feasibility of long-term stable operation with high power output. The cell voltage remained below the thermal neutral voltage (U < 1.3 V), thanks to the low area-specific resistance of 0.28 Ω·cm².

The H2Giga flagship project, launched in March 2021, encompasses 30 independent research projects aimed at advancing the industrialization of water electrolysis. Coordinated by DECHEMA e.V., the project fosters collaboration between industry and academia to scale up electrolyser capacities and develop next-generation technologies.

For more detailed information, please refer to the full press release below.

Contact: josef.schefold@eifer.org, aline.leon@eifer.org