Nuclear energy combined with SOEC technology has the potential to produce clean hydrogen more cheaply than alternative electrolysis processes because:
- The electrolysis takes place at a high temperature, which means that less electricity is needed to produce hydrogen.
- The nuclear power plants can produce energy on average up to 95% of the time, significantly higher than alternative variable energy sources.
- Nuclear energy can supply heat as well as electricity. By using heat directly, energy losses in the steam turbine can be avoided thus increasing the effective energy capacity of the nuclear power plant above its electric power rating.
Furthermore, the Rolls-Royce SMR nuclear power plant can, when required, switch to deliver power to the grid, providing back-up to variable power sources when these sources are not available. This is expected to be a competitive solution compared to alternatives, like long duration energy storage solutions or hydrogen combustion for electricity generation. The joint investigation will include a valuation of the operational flexibility of the Rolls-Royce SMR/Topsoe SOEC combination in the future green energy market.
“Hydrogen will play an increasingly important role in balancing future energy markets. We expect nuclear energy, especially in combination with high temperature electrolysis, to be able to produce zero-emission hydrogen competitively on a stand-alone basis. Additional value associated with the operational flexibility will further enhance the business case for this solution. We are particularly pleased that this study has been made possible by the support from a number of national and international companies” said Dirk Rabelink, CEO of ULC-Energy.
Jack H. Carstensen, Business Development Director, Topsoe, said: "At Topsoe we are excited to be part of this study demonstrating the synergy between Topsoe’s SOEC technology and nuclear. SOEC is a modular design that leverages high-temperature electrolysis that enables industrial-scale production of clean hydrogen using clean energy. Due to the nature of the intrinsic fast-reaction kinetics and optimised conductivity found in high-temperature electrolysis, Topsoe’s SOEC technology produces more hydrogen per total power input when compared to the alternatives of alkaline and PEM electrolysis. Additionally, when coupled with a heat-producing technology such as nuclear, SOEC allows for the lowest levelised hydrogen cost with the highest level of energy efficiency."
Harry Keeling, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Head of Industrial Markets, said: “The production of low-cost hydrogen is a critical step on the pathway to decarbonising our wider society. This agreement with ULC-Energy and Topsoe is an exciting step toward unleashing the potential of the Rolls-Royce SMR as its ability to flexibly provide thermal and electrical energy supports a wide range of industrial applications, chief amongst these being the large-scale generation of low-cost hydrogen.”