Sunfire has launched HyLink® Alkaline 23, a new outdoor pressurised alkaline electrolyser system. The 50 MW electrolyser module is designed for the implementation of triple digit MW projects and reduces total installed costs (TIC) on the customer side by up to 50%.
Pressurised alkaline stack at the core of the system
At the core of HyLink® Alkaline 23 is Sunfire’s second generation 30 bar(g) pressurised alkaline stack. The higher operating pressure significantly reduces downstream hydrogen compression requirements. The stack technology is already in operation in industrial plants across Europe, where it has demonstrated reliable performance in the production of green hydrogen.
Modular 50 MW system design for large scale projects
Building on experience gained from ongoing industrial projects in the double digit megawatt range, Sunfire has specifically further developed its existing 10 MW pressurised alkaline module for deployment in triple digit MW projects. The new 50 MW-module combines five times the installed capacity of the previous solution with a design fully optimised for outdoor deployment.
As part of the new system design, key plant components have been centralised, additional components such as air cooling have been integrated as standard, and the level of prefabrication has been significantly increased. At the same time, system interfaces have been optimised. This substantially simplifies installation and commissioning while delivering significant cost reductions for the overall green hydrogen plant (TIC).
In a 100 MW project scenario, the number of required electrolyser modules is reduced from ten to two. The construction of a dedicated electrolyser building is no longer necessary.
Christian von Olshausen, CTO of Sunfire, emphasised: “With the new system, we are applying five key levers to improve project economics: First, we increase module capacity from 10 to 50 MW, significantly reducing material and component requirements. Second, the solution is fully designed for outdoor operation, eliminating buildings and building related infrastructure as major cost drivers. Third, key interfaces are already integrated into the system, substantially reducing complexity. Fourth, a high degree of prefabrication shortens installation time and minimises on site effort. Fifth, the system is based on our proven 30 bar stack technology with validated performance. Taken together, these five improvements reduce total installed costs for our customers by up to 50%.”
Designed for the next phase of industrial market scale up
With HyLink® Alkaline 23, Sunfire directly addresses the current requirements of large scale hydrogen projects in energy intensive industries such as refining, chemicals, and ammonia production, where hydrogen supply is being built up on an industrial scale with a lower carbon footprint.
Nils Aldag, CEO of Sunfire, underlined: “We have actively shaped this market and, over the past 16 years, implemented projects ranging from several hundred kW to low MW capacities and up to full industrial scale. Throughout this process, we have worked closely with our customers and developed a clear understanding of what matters in real world applications. Accordingly, our current 100 MW projects are repeat orders from existing customers.”