In order to combat the climate changes and to reach the European goals for reduction of greenhouse emissions, fossil fuels must be replaced with renewables. MegaSyn will contribute by upscaling high-temperature co-electrolysis to mega-watt scale to produce green syngas (CO + H2) out of renewable electricity, waste CO2 and H2O. This process is called Power-to-X; it is the most important approach to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors such as the iron and steel industry, the chemical industry as well as heavy and long-distance transport, as syngas can be used as precursor for the manufacture of e-fuels and other chemicals. By using the co-electrolyser technology, the highest overall process efficiencies can be achieved. MegaSyn will demonstrate that syngas can be produced via the solid oxide electrolyser cell technology (SOEC) in quantities relevant for industrial applications, while showing the way to competitive electrolyser costs and durability. It will be the world’s first demonstration of syngas production by co-electrolysis on the mega-watt scale in an industrial environment at the Schwechat Refinery in Austria. The project will lift the technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7, thus taking an important step towards commercialisation. The consortium is carefully selected to cover all the necessary competences: DTU and TU Graz, respectively, will improve knowledge on degradation of cells and stacks and purification needs of feed streams, while Sunfire will design & build the co-electrolyser; OMV will install it at their Schwechat Refinery and Paul Wurth will perform the engineering of overall system integration. After installation, the MegaSyn system will run for 2 years to demonstrate the production of >900 kg syngas based on renewable energy. Integrating the co-electrolyser based MegaSyn system at a refinery proves its value not only for the production of e-crude but also as a mega-watt scale system that can be integrated in e.g. the chemical industry.

The shift to a low-carbon EU economy raises the challenge of integrating renewable energy (RES) and cutting the CO2 emissions of energy intensive industries (EII). In this context, hydrogen produced from RES will contribute to decarbonize those industries, as feedstock/fuel/energy storage. MULTIPLHY thus aims to install, integrate and operate the world’s first high-temperature electrolyser (HTE) system in multi-megawatt-scale (~2.4 MW), in a renewable products refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to produce green hydrogen for the refinery’s processes. MULTIPLHY offers the unique opportunity to demonstrate the technological and industrial leadership of the EU in Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell (SOEC) technology. With its rated electrical connection of ~3.5 MWel,AC,BOL, electrical rated nominal power of ~2.6 MWel,AC and a hydrogen production rate ≥ 670 Nm³/h, this HTE will cover ~40 % of the current average hydrogen demand of the chemical refinery. This leads to GHG emission reductions of ~8,000 tonnes during the planned minimum HTE operation time (16,000 h). MULTIPLHY’s electrical efficiency (85 %el,LHV) will be at least 20 % higher than efficiencies of low temperature electrolysers, enabling the cutting of operational costs and the reduction of the connected load at the refinery and hence the impact on the local power grid. A multidisciplinary consortium gathers NESTE (a Green Refiner as end-user), ENGIE (a global energy system integrator & operator), PaulWurth (Engineering Procurement Construction company for hydrogen processing units), Sunfire (HTE technology provider) and the world-class RTO CEA. They focus on operation under realistic conditions and market frameworks to enable the commercialisation of the HTE technology. By demonstrating reliable system operation with a proven availability of ≥ 98 %, complemented by a benchmark study for stacks in the 10 kW range, critical questions regarding durability, robustness, degradation as well as service and maintenance are addressed

The world needs a disruptive technology to very quickly decarbonize the energy; the success of this technology depends heavily on its social acceptance, sustainability and fast and easy implementation. The proponents of 112CO2 believe to have this technology. Imagine that a new chemical reactor would make possible to use methane, an easy to transport and to store fuel, either fossil, renewable or synthetic, for producing COx-free hydrogen in a cost-effective way. Imagine that this approach could be implemented swiftly, taking advantage of the present infrastructure. 112CO2 project is about producing hydrogen from low temperature methane decomposition (MD), a 100 % selective reaction – CH4 → C (s) + 2 H2. The use of methane from biogas allows actively to remove CO2 from the atmosphere (negative carbon balance) but, if using fossil methane, there will be no COx emissions. 112CO2 project aims at developing a low temperature MD catalyst, easy to regenerate and very active, > 0.45 gH2/gCat/h and stable for at least 10 000 h. 112CO2 proposes an innovative regeneration step based on the selective hydrogenation of the carbon attaching interface with the catalyst, allowing to release the coke particles and the recovery of the catalytic activity. Proponents succeed very recently to demonstrate, in a 500-h experiment, that this approach is possible and easily accomplishable. A membrane reactor, made of a stack of individual cells for producing hydrogen and a stack for pumping out this fuel cell grade hydrogen, will be developed for running at ca. 600 °C and to display > 0.05 gH2/cm3/h, an energy density comparable to the PEMFC. The proposed MD reactor is suitable for mobile as well as for stationary applications. 112CO2 project proposes also an ambitious communication strategy, aim at to involve investors, existing companies, researchers, youngsters, undergraduate and graduate students for this new technology and engage them in the urgent energy decarbonization endeavour.

The European Commission and its roadmap for moving towards a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050 sets greenhouse gas emissions targets for different economic sectors . One of the main challenges of transforming Europe´s economy will be the integration of highly volatile renewable energy sources (RES). Especially hydrogen produced from RES will have a major part in decarbonizing the industry, transport and energy sector – as feedstock, fuel and/or energy storage. However, access to renewable electricity will also be a limiting factor in the future and energy efficient technologies the key. Due to a significant energy input in form of steam preferably from industrial waste heat, Steam Electrolysis (StE) based on Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOEC) achieves outstanding electrical efficiencies of up to 84 %el,LHV. Thus, StE is a very promising technology to produce hydrogen most energy efficiently. GrInHy2.0 will demonstrate how steam electrolysis in an industrial relevant size can: • Be integrated into the industrial environment at an integrated iron-and-steel works with a StE unit of 720 kWAC and electrical efficiency of up to 84 %el, LHV • Operate at least 13,000 hours with a proved availability of >95 % • Provide a significant amount of hydrogen (18 kg/h) while meeting the high-quality standards for steel annealing processes • Produce at least 100 tons of green hydrogen at a targeted price of 7 €/kg to substitute hydrogen based on fossil fuels • Support the most promising Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA) approach by substituting the reducing agent carbon by green hydrogen to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the steel production In context with the production of green hydrogen from a steam electrolyser, the steel industry combines both hydrogen and oxygen demand – today and future – and the availability of cost-efficient waste heat from its high-temperature production processes.