Electrolyzer Cost Reduction

Hydrogen Electrolyzer Cost Reduction

🟦 1) Stack: 1- The hydrogen electrolyzer stack includes cell units, porous transport layers, bipolar plates, and end plates, as well as smaller components such as spacers, seals, frames, and bolts. 2- Stacks typically represent 40-60% of the total electrolyzer costs in alkaline and PEM hydrogen electrolyzers.

3- Stacks account for 30% of the total cost in solid oxide hydrogen electrolysers, while they account for 60% in AEM hydrogen electrolysers.

🟦 2) Power electronics: 1- The cost of power electronics in alkaline and PEM systems only makes up about 15% of the total cost. 2- The cost of power electronics is higher for AEM installations, at about 18%, and for solid oxide electrolyzers, at about 30%.

🟦 3) Gas conditioning:

Gas conditioning (compressing the gas and drying it to purify the raw hydrogen) accounts for around 15% of the costs for alkaline and AEM systems, about 10% for PEM installations, and 6% for solid oxide systems.

🟦 4) Balance of plant (BoP): 1-  The phrase "balance of plant" refers to a collection of components that play a vital role in energy production. These components comprise of heat recovery and heat rejection equipment, pumps, valves, piping, control systems, safety systems, waste systems, air conditioning, power systems, etc. 2- The cost of BoP components accounts for 15 and 20% of the total cost for conventional alkaline and PEM electrolysers, respectively.

3- The cost of solid oxide electrolysers for the balance of plant is over twice that of PEM installations: 34% vs. 15%.

4- Almost half of the costs (48%) for AEM electrolysers are the BoP, which is two (2) to three (3) times more costly than in alkaline and PEM systems. 🟦 5) Evaluated component costs (USD/kW) for 1 MW electrolysers in 2019: i- Alkaline Hydrogen Electrolyzer
a- Stack Cost =270 – 450
b- Power Electronics =81 - 135
c- Gas conditioning =81 - 135
d- Balance of plant =108 - 180
e- Total =540 - 900 ii- PEM Hydrogen Electrolyzer
a- Stack Cost =400 - 870
b- Power Electronics =100 - 217.5
c- Gas conditioning =67 - 145
d- Balance of plant =100 - 217.5
e- Total= 667 - 1,450

iii- Solid Oxide Hydrogen Electrolyser
a- Stack Cost =690 - 2,000
b- Power Electronics =690 - 2,000
c- Gas conditioning =140 - 400
d- Balance of plant =780 - 2,267
e- Total =2,300 - 6,667

iv- AEM Hydrogen Electrolyser
a- Stack Cost≥ 177
b- Power Electronics~ 167.5
c- Gas conditioning~ 139.5
d- Balance of plant~ 447
e- Total≥ 931

🟦 6) Improvement for electrolyser
1. Decreased energy consumption  
2. Increased stack lifetime  
3. Increased module and stack size  
4. Broadened load range  
5. Minimization of the use of scarce materials  
6. Typical start-up time (cold)  
7. Increased scale of production of electrolysers  
8. Decreased average stack cost  

Reference: see attached images

This post is based on my personal knowledge and is for educational purposes only.

👇 How can we lower the cost of hydrogen electrolyzers?