Background On types of green hydrogen

electrolyzers
1. Alkaline electrolyzers:
The first of its kind and first produced and used in the 20th century firstly in Peru, Zimbabwe, and
Egypt in the 60’s and 70’s, it was developed based on the work of scientist Micheal Faraday from
the 19th century who is one of the pioneers of early electrolysis. Started his journey by
experimenting with platinum electrodes and water to demonstrate the principles of water
electrolysis. By 1902 there were more than 400 industry used alkaline electrolyzers used for
ammonia production, which proves that these electrolyzers are mature enough and a heavily
studied, and researched concept that can prove to be reliable, safe, and efficient.

 History
 Discovered on May 2nd, 1800, by William Nicholson and Sir Anthony Carlisle, where
experimentation began with the concept of using electricity to split water into the gases it’s
made up of. But the work of Micheal Faraday was the most influential where multiple
experiments were done using different types of metals like copper, cast iron, and carbon, but
they suffered from low efficiency and cathode corrosion which was a major switch that led to the
invention of alkaline electrolyzers.
 They were first introduced in the early 20th century where scientists and researchers started
trying alkaline solutions like (KOH) to produce hydrogen, seemingly the new solution was proved
to be more efficient and reliable than older options.
 In the !940s during the world war alkaline electrolyzers gained a lot of attention due to the new
and fast need for hydrogen to fill airships, balloons, and other military purposes, this sudden
demand gave the idea of hydrogen production methods a much-needed push in research and
funding.
 After the war leading our way to the 1950s the much-developed alkaline electrolyzer was
needed industrially and this was the first setting stone paving the way for the commercial use of
this technology.
 In the 60s and 70s the use of alkaline electrolyzers was commercially available and widely used
in many sectors like metal reforming and electronics production and many electrolyzers were
implemented in various projects like the KIMA plant in Aswan, Egypt where it was used to
produce ammonia.
 From then the possibilities where endless like using the electrolyzers to produce hydrogen to
power fuel cells that provided water and electricity for astronauts in space, where these
formidable electrolyzers proved to be a staple in space technology for decades to come.
 Lastly in the late 20th century scientists have started to integrate renewable energy sources to
produce green hydrogen from excess power that these new energy sources produced that is
stored later as an energy carrier.
 Advantages & Disadvantages

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  Advantages:

 Efficiency: known for their high efficiency ranging from 70 to 80 percent

 Cost-Effective: cost effective, especially for large scale projects
 Longevity: long Work life up to 20 years
 Established Technology: Alkaline electrolyzers have a well-established track record and
are widely used.

 Disadvantages:

 Operating Conditions: more maintenance needed than other electrolyzer technologies

and work at relatively higher temperatures too.
 Limited Flexibility: Slower response to load changes compared to PEM electrolyzers.
 Alkaline Electrolyte: the use of (KOH) showed that if handled in the wrong way may lead
to corrosion.
 Size: requires a lot of space and is not suitable for small scale arrangements

2. Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers (PEM)

After conquering the market with the new alkaline electrolyzers many challenges came to light
and scientists worked hard to find a reliable option to convert to. In the early 60s the
foundational technology was invented were researchers started using solid polymer electrolytes
to conduct protons at lower temperatures without the need for the liquid solute (KOH), this was
the starting step of inventing the proton exchange membrane electrolyzers.

 History
 It all started in the 60s when researchers developed the solid polymer electrolyte which
was at the time a scientific breakthrough for this technology where it helped scientist to
remove the corrosive solute and replace it with a much safer alternative.
 The 70s introduced the bipolar membrane concept which was the second step into
building the PEM electrolyzer and the basic concept and idea that this electrolyzer works
on
 In the 80s introduced PEM fuel cells which used the electrochemical conversion of
hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity it introduced the idea and working principle
which was then turned into the electrolyzer
 Prototypes started going into production in the late 80s early 90s which showed the
feasibility of using the solid polymer membranes for efficient water electrolysis.
 In the 21st century has seen the growth and commercialization of PEM electrolyzers and
PEM manufacturers started emerging and commercializing the technology for industrial
use it proved to be an efficient and more compact alternative than Alkaline electrolyzers.
 In our day and time, the PEM electrolyzer is well known and common technology that is
used in places with abundant green sources of energy to produce hydrogen and energy
storage. The PEM electrolyzer is still undergoing a lot of enhancements from efficiency,

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 durability, and cost effectiveness. This aims to make this technology a competitive choice
between other green hydrogen production electrolyzers.

 Advantages & Disadvantages

 Advantages
 High Efficiency: highly efficient conversion rate which makes them.

 Rapid Response: They respond quickly to changes in electrical load, allowing for a much
better link with renewable energy sources.
 Clean Hydrogen Production: PEM electrolyzers produce high-purity hydrogen without
contaminants.

 Compact Design: Their compact size enables easy installation in various settings.

 Disadvantages

 Cost: PEM electrolyzers can be more expensive to manufacture compared to other

electrolyzer types.

 Purity Requirements: PEM electrolyzers are sensitive to contaminants in the water feed,
requiring purified water inputs.

3. Solid Oxide Electrolyzers (SOEC):

Solid oxide electrolyzers are advanced electrochemical devices that have had a significant effect
on the green hydrogen production and energy storage scene. These devices rely on solid oxide
materials to produce high temperature electrolysis processes that convert electrical energy into
hydrogen sustainably and efficiently.

 History
 The start of this technology can be traced back to the 1960’s when researchers started
studying the properties of solid oxide materials.
 In the 80s after a whole lot of research and effort scientists came up with the solid oxide
fuel cell (SOFC) it was an efficient, and durable design that could use hydrogen and
oxygen to produce electricity.
 In the late 199o’s the idea of a reverse operation where the concept of using the
electricity to produce hydrogen arose, the idea was starting to take shape and a new
potential idea to generate hydrogen in an efficient manner.
 In the beginning of the 21st century research and advancements were enhancing this
technology at a much higher pace than imagined. Enhancements in material science,
design, and manufacturing helped increase the efficiency, durability, and output of
SOEC’s.
 In the 2010’s the SOEC was commercialized and starting to be adopted by many projects
and has found many applications in the hydrogen production sector, and the
cogeneration sector since it can be used to produce hydrogen and heat.

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  Advantages & Disadvantages
 Advantages
 High Efficiency: SOECs are highly efficient, particularly when operating at high
temperatures. They can convert electrical energy into hydrogen gas with minimal energy
losses.

 Versatile Fuel Sources: SOECs can utilize a variety of renewable and sustainable energy
sources, including electricity from wind, solar, or nuclear power, making them adaptable
to different energy ecosystems.

 Heat Recovery: The high operating temperatures of SOECs allow for heat recovery,
making them suitable for combined heat and power applications, further enhancing
energy efficiency.

 Disadvantages
 High Operating Temperatures: SOECs require high operating temperatures,
which can pose engineering challenges and increase thermal stress on materials.

 Complexity: The need for high-temperature operation can make SOEC systems
more complex and costly to manufacture and maintain compared to some other
electrolyzer technologies.

 Start-Up Time: SOECs may have longer start-up and shut-down times due to
temperature requirements, which may limit their suitability for applications
requiring rapid response.

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