SWITCH

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) present an efficient, environmentally friendly alternative to converting variable electricity from renewables in green hydrogen. They can also work in reverse, providing power as a hydrogen fuel cell.

The EU-funded SWITCH project aimed to develop fuel cell technology that will provide green and secured production of hydrogen, heat and power. The core of the system comprises three elements: a reversible solid oxide module based on anode-supported electrolytes; a fuel processing unit that can manage steam generation and methane-reforming reactions at high efficiency; and a purification unit to guarantee highly pure hydrogen in compliance with the main automotive standards. The goal was to demonstrate a 25-kilowatt SOFC system operating in an industrial environment for 5 000 hours.

Solid Oxide Cells are efficient ways to convert variable electricity from renewables in green hydrogen. At the same time, they can be used in a reversible mode to enable the use of other sources (e.g. methane, bio-methane) to match a variable energy production with continuous and guaranteed production of hydrogen for contracted end uses.

Switch focused on the development of this specific solution and realize a mostly green and always secured production of hydrogen, heat and power. Core of the system is a reversible Solid Oxide module based on anode supported electrolyte, supported by an advanced fuel processing unit able to manage steam generation and methane reforming reactions at high efficiency and a purification unit to guarantee highly pure hydrogen in compliance with the main industrial and automotive standards.

SWITCH project focused on the demonstration of a 25kW (SOFC)/75kW (SOEC) system operating in a relevant industrial environment for at least 5000 hrs. Part of the activities will be focused on the issue of cost competitiveness and environmental impact, with the target of the hydrogen price lower than 5 €/kg. The basic solution will be designed to be up scalable to bigger sizes and thus reaching target applications in other different sectors such as industrial, residential and grid services.

The modularity, low transient times, an integrated gas treatment unit and different modules combined in between SOFC and SOE mode aimed to set a solution able to modulate between different sources and a flexible production of hydrogen, heat and power, with specific use cases considered.

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