Design, laboratory characterization, factory acceptance tests and installation of a 2.6 MW High temperature steam electrolyser in a refinery

High-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) is the most efficient technology to produce hydrogen. MULTIPLHY European project aims to install and operate a HTSE system in multi-megawatt-scale (∼2.6 MW), at a renewable products refinery. The HTSE unit will produce more than 60 kg H2 /h. It is complemented by a Hydrogen Processing Unit to meet the quality and pressure criteria of the refinery process. Both are installed on NESTE Rotterdam refinery, where the site has been prepared to receive them and to provide the requested power line and other utilities. Onsite installation and commissioning have been performed. In parallel, long term stack tests have been performed at laboratory scale in order to assess the technology durability. Stacks of power up to 19 kW have been tested over durations up to 8 kh. Thanks to an operation strategy consisting in compensating degradation by a stack temperature evolution over time, they could be operated over those durations without any hydrogen production loss, the current density being kept constant over the whole duration. • A 2.6 MW high temperature electrolyser has been installed in a bioproducts refinery. • It includes a Hydrogen Processing Unit to meet the quality and pressure criteria. • Onsite installation and commissioning have been performed. • Durability tests were performed on stacks of up to 19 kW over durations up to 8 kh. • They could be operated without any hydrogen production loss.