(Plenary) U.S. DOE EERE Activities in High Temperature Electrolysis and Reversible Fuel Cells

Abstract

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) supports a range of solid oxide-based research, development, and demonstration efforts that fall under the areas of high temperature electrolysis (HTE) and reversible fuel cells (RFCs). These efforts range from earlier stage R&D on cell components to demonstrating early system technology. Particularly when used in conjunction with high temperature process heat, HTE technology shows promise for highly efficient, cost effective, sustainable hydrogen production at high volumes. This potential has led to its inclusion in multiple HFTO initiatives, including two national lab-led consortia. HTE is one of four pathways being supported under DOE’s HydroGEN Energy Materials Network (EMN) Consortium on Advanced Water Splitting Materials (AWSM) for H2 production. The HydroGEN EMN offers an extensive collection of materials research capabilities at 5 core national laboratories for addressing AWSM R&D challenges in efficiency, durability, and cost. HydroGEN focuses on next generation materials including proton conducting ceramics and metal-supported cell architecture for HTE. H2NEW (H2 from Next-generation of Electrolyzers of Water) is a recently launched national lab consortium focused on overcoming technical barriers to enable affordable, durable, and efficient low- and high-temperature electrolyzers to achieve <$2/kg hydrogen production. Unlike HydroGEN, the emphasis is not on new materials development but on addressing components, materials integration, and manufacturing R&D. Durability is the most critical, initial focus of the H2NEW HTE effort.HTE also has a role in DOE’s H2@Scale energy system vision. This initiative is bringing together diverse stakeholders to advance affordable wide-scale hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to unlock revenue potential and value across multiple sectors and applications. The use of low-cost electricity to affordably split water into hydrogen and oxygen is central to implementation of the H2@Scale concept. Reversible fuel cells also have a role in H2@Scale as well as DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge as a promising technology for long duration energy storage. RFC stack and system technical targets to help guide ongoing and future R&D efforts were recently developed. In addition to an overview of these initiatives including the role solid oxide technologies will play, highlights of HFTO-supported R&D and analysis work from the cell to system level for both HTE and RFCs will be provided.