(Invited) Hydrogen (H2) from Next-Generation Electrolyzers of Water (H2NEW): (Re)Building PEM Electrolyzers As a Key to Achieving Decarbonization Goals

Abstract

The H2NEW consortium is a major new Department of Energy-Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office funded effort with a vision is to enable large-scale production of hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen via low-temperature acidic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis and high-temperature oxide-ion-conducting solid oxide electrolysis (HTE). This talk will give an overview of the PEM electrolysis efforts within H2NEW.Legacy commercial applications of PEM electrolyzers, such as life support and industrial gas operated continuously on high cost electricity inputs, have driven their design specifications and operating characteristics, resulting in overbuilt and overdesigned membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) that operate following a steady state product load. H2NEW looks to optimize PEM electrolyzers for the new paradigms of our evolving energy system needs, to significantly lower the cost of these systems, while enabling durable operation under dynamic electricity supply following operation and targeting further efficiency gains. We or focused on a future generation MEA (FuGeMEA) that requires electrocatalyst loadings be reduced by an order of magnitude, thinner membranes with decreased ohmic losses and advances in porous transport layers and other cell fabrication factors without compromising performance or durability. The primary end-of-project goal of H2NEW is to enable hydrogen production from electrolysis for use as a clean, sustainable fuel or feedstock, at <$2/kg production costs, making it cost competitive with fossil-derived hydrogen. To overcome the cost barrier, electrolyzers need to be fabricated at scale, more efficiently utilize low-cost electricity, and demonstrate durability under relevant intermittent and variable duty cycles. This talk will give an overview of the pillars of the H2NEW consortium targeting improved Durability, Performance and Manufacturing Scale-up and Integration.The authors acknowledge the Department of Energy – Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Fuel Cell Technologies Office (DOE-EERE-FCTO) and the H2 from the Next-generation of Electrolyzers of Water (H2NEW) consortium for funding.Figure 1. Schematic representation of the pillars of the H2NEW Consortium PEM Thrust Figure 1