Emerging application of solid oxide electrolysis cells in hydrogen production: a comprehensive analytical review and life cycle assessment

• High SOEC efficiency with up to 78.2% and stable operation at 3.16 A/cm 2 . • SOECs can cut hydrogen costs to $1.41–$4.04/kg by 2050 • LCA shows SOECs have the lowest GWP and mineral resource use among electrolysis tech. • Novel SOEC designs enhance thermal stability and electrochemical performance. • Industrial integration of SOECs enables large-scale, low-carbon hydrogen production. This paper provides a comprehensive analytical review and life cycle assessment (LCA) of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for hydrogen production. As the global energy landscape shifts toward cleaner and more sustainable solutions, SOECs offer a promising pathway for hydrogen generation by utilizing water as a feedstock. Despite their potential, challenges in efficiency, economic viability, and technological barriers remain. This review explores the evolution of SOECs, highlighting key advancements and innovations over time, and examines their operational principles, efficiency factors, and classification by operational temperature range. It further addresses critical technological challenges and potential breakthroughs, alongside an in-depth assessment of economic feasibility covering production cost comparisons, hydrogen storage capacity, and plant viability and an LCA evaluating environmental impacts and sustainability. The findings underscore SOECs’ progress and their crucial role in advancing hydrogen production, while pointing to the need for further research to overcome existing limitations and enhance commercial viability.