Efficient electrolysis coupling with variable renewable electricity and/or heat integration

Several previous and current projects supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnerhsip such as REMOTE[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/779541]], HYBALANCE[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/671384]], HAEOLUS[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/779469]], ELY4OFF[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/700359]], DEMO4GRID[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/736351]], H2FUTURE[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/735503]], HOPE[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101111899]] and EPHYRA[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101112220]] as well as supported by national funded projects such as such as Energiepark Mainz[[https://www.energiepark-mainz.de/en/]],have explored different coupling configurations and system optimisations for the integration of hydrogen production with renewable electricity generation and the provision of grid services. Yet further progresses are needed to demonstrate the full potential of this integration. These should increase the capacity of electrolysis plant operators to produce RFNBO respecting the EU Delegated Acts on Renewable Hydrogen requirements on time correlation, while enhancing their business model through the provision of higher levels of remunerated flexibility services to the electrical grid and potentially through heat integration. These progresses should also address improving electrolysis whole system efficiency and robustness towards load variation and power fluctuation. Improvements in the economics of electrolytic hydrogen production may be achieved by valorisation of dissipated heat from electrolysis and/or by integration of renewable or process heat when coupling the electrolyser to a RES or in an industrial plant, as explored in several European projects (such as as GrinHy[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/700300]], GrInHy2.0[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/826350]], MULTIPLHY[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/875123]], SOPHIA[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/621173]], REFLEX[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/779577]], GAMER[[https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/779486]]).

This topic is open for all technologies of water and steam electrolysis and for synergies with projects funded under topics supported by the Clean Hydrogen JU: HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-01-04[[https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-jti-cleanh2-2024-01-04?keywords=HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-01]], HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2025-01-01 and HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2025-01-02.

The following activities are within the scope of this topic:

• Improve storage (hydrogen, demineralised water, heat, power) and plant control strategies to increase overall plant response reactivity while smoothening ramp-up and -down. This may be supported by a connection to a gas network (incl. salt cavern), or other energy storage (gaseous or electrochemical);
• Demonstrate innovative power electronics (e.g. transformer and rectifier, direct DC/DC coupling) and control strategies to maximise flexibility of operation;
• Develop ad-hoc Balance of Plant components for heat integration;
• Optimise heat re-use within the electrolysis plant and/or the integration of the plant with its environment (e.g. heat networks, industry);
• Improve interaction with the electricity grid to perform grid services on command from the grid (e.g. utilising unexpected power production peaks from renewables, thanks to planning and optimisation tools that could benefit of utilising advanced methodologies such as predictive approach and real-time optimisation). Such tools should optimise the renewable coupling and/or heat integration, including on the basis of economic aspects;
• Utilise emerging digital technologies to integrate electrolysers into a highly flexible and resilient energy system, in synergy with calls from Horizon Europe Cluster 5 and Clean Energy Transition partnership;
• Minimise power consumption in stand-by operation and ensure safe operation at high turn-down operation of the electrolyser;
• Provide improved plant designs of >50MW sites with design-inherent increased operating flexibility, providing higher levels of services to the electrical grid (e.g. capacity to absorb black outs from other sites) while better valorising heat, with concrete business cases on at least one plant with a commissioning date before 2030.

Projects should demonstrate developments for at least 6 months on plants in operation at least at the MW scale. Applicants may work on existing electrolyser installations where only the BoP would need to be adapted/modified or on electrolyser installations under development.

It is expected to have an electrolyser manufacturer in the consortium for this topic. In addition, it is encouraged to include a balance of plant manufacturer. Cooperation with renewable hydrogen production plant operators is also encouraged.

The costs for the construction and commissioning phase of the hydrogen production technology/ies maybe funded while costs related to the operation of the hydrogen production plant (e.g. electricity for electrolysers) will not be funded.

Proposals are expected to demonstrate the contribution to EU competitiveness and industrial leadership of the activities to be funded including but not limited to the origin of the equipment and components as well infrastructure purchased and built during the project. These aspects will be evaluated and monitored during the project implementation.

It is expected that Guarantees of origin (GOs) will be used to prove the renewable character of the hydrogen that is produced. In this respect consortium may seek out the issuance and subsequent cancellation of GOs from the relevant Member State issuing body and if that is not yet available the consortium may proceed with the issuance and cancellation of non-governmental certificates (e.g CertifHy[[https://www.certifhy.eu]]).

For activities developing test protocols and procedures for the performance and durability assessment of electrolysers and fuel cell components proposals should foresee a collaboration mechanism with JRC[[https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/knowledge-management/collaboration-jrc-0_en]] (see section 2.2.4.3 "Collaboration with JRC"), in order to support EU-wide harmonisation. Test activities should adopt the already published EU harmonised testing protocols[[https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/knowledge-management/collaboration-jrc-0/clean-hydrogen-ju-jrc-deliverables_en]] to benchmark performance and quantify progress at programme level.

Proposals should provide a preliminary draft on ‘hydrogen safety planning and management’ at the project level, which will be further updated during project implementation.

For additional elements applicable to all topics please refer to section 2.2.3.2.