Preliminary study of electrolysis

It is a common opinion that water electrolysis is an available and mature technology, which is not wide spread because it is too expensive compared to steam reforming of hydro carbons. As a consequence, further development has not been as high priority as for instance fuel cells. Electrolyzers have indeed been available on truly commercial terms and the market penetration had indeed been rather insignificant. However, most technologies do continue developing, not despite commercial success, but because commercial success. Cars and electronics are good examples of this. In the introduction to this report the necessity of water electrolysis in the energy system it is argued for, and if this holds, there will be a strong competition among manufacturers and developers of the technology in a quite near future. Consequently, further development of the electrolyzer technology will be crucial. The awareness if this is growing and more research groups can be expected to join the race for the best technology. In Denmark the authorities have been somewhat reluctant to initiate research on water electrolysis in order not to spread the limited resources over too much. Fuel cell research and development has already been supported extensively for many years. However, bearing that in mind, electrolysis development is not very different from fuel cell development and the research groups already involved in fuel cell research have the ideal starting point for getting involved in electrolysis (as a simplification, by just changing the direction of the current). The electrochemistry is overall the same, although some materials problems like corrosion will be different. All together research and development in water electrolysis will most likely increase in countries with tradition for electrochemical activities, especially fuel cells. Denmark with its full-grown fuel cell R and D community will also be part of that, and the process has already started on different levels. Risø, DTU has for some time addressed SOEC with impressive results and other groups at the universities are involved in catalyst development for electrolysis (Dept. of Physics, DTU), electrodes for alkaline electrolyzers (HIH, Aarhus Univ.) and new materials for PEMEC (Dept. Chem., DTU) to mention a few activities. Even demonstrations involving among other things electrolyzers can now be seen (Lolland).