The need for storage of electricity and for conversion of part of it into transport fuels is indispensable for the transition of the entire Danish energy system to 100% renewable sources. Electrolysis can offer the required flexibility and transformability to the electricity system, along with secure, large-scale, and long-term storage of energy. Nevertheless, cost reduction and efficiency increase are needed for large-scale implementation of the technology.
BEEST will set forward the innovative steps required to establish highly efficient, low-cost alkaline electrolyzers (AEC) for a stable, flexible, efficient, and highly integrated future Danish energy system relying 100% on renewable energy.
Key measurable objectives of BEEST are to:
- develop 3D porous electrodes for AEC, enabling the transition to an advanced zero-gap configuration.
- prove cell performance of 2 A/cm2 at maximum 2V
- upscale the developed porous electrodes to a size of 270 cm2
- implement and test the upscaled electrodes in AEC stacks
The benefit for the electrical energy system is that electricity can be converted in an energy-efficient as well as cost-efficient way into hydrogen. Hydrogen can subsequently be processed further into synthetic fuels (methane, methanol etc.), used as is or converted back to electricity when needed.