While solid oxide technologies reach demonstration and market matureness, the new European project “Next generation solid oxide fuel cell and electrolysis technology – NewSOC” sets out to overcome pending challenges in order to allow exploiting the full potential of these technologies and meeting the requirements of the future.
The EU has the long-term goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% to 95% compared to 1990 levels by 2050, mainly by introducing more shares of renewable energy sources in the EU energy systems. Solid oxide cell technologies (SOC) are key enabling technologies allowing for such integration. They are an efficient link between the sectors power, gas, and heat. SOC can therefore emerge as key players in the energy transition in many concepts, such as
• fuel/gas-to-power and to heat at small to large scale,
• energy storage and green fuel production through power-to-hydrogen/fuel,
• utilisation and upgrading of biogas,
• balancing of intermittent electricity from renewable sources through load following and reversible operation, and
• central and decentral solutions for electricity and heat production.
The NewSOC project aims at significantly improving performance, durability, and cost competitiveness of solid oxide cells and stacks compared to state-of-the-art (SoA). In order to achieve these goals, NewSOC proposes twelve innovative concepts in the following areas:
(i) structural optimisation and innovative architectures based on SoA materials,
(ii) alternative materials, which allow for overcoming inherent challenges of SoA,
(iii) innovative manufacturing to reduce critical raw materials and reduction of the environmental footprint at improved performance & lifetime.
Rarely has one project accommodated such a large variety of topics related to materials, structuring, and manufacturing of different components in a SOC stack. This is also reflected in the number of partners: 16 strong research and industry players from across Europe join forces.
9-10 January 2020 saw the kick-off meeting at the coordinator’s premises at the Technical University of Denmark, in Lyngby. During this meeting, the discussions covered the overall project topics, the work packages, and the first activities leading to the first deliverables. Two fully packed days gave the 28 participants the opportunity to meet each other and to agree on actions and further processes. DTU Energy showed the new facility, the brand new building 310, with the labs being on the verge of opening. All partners left Denmark eagerly to get going with the ambitious project.