Sunfire has broken ground on a new green hydrogen test facility at the BASF site in Schwarzheide, marking a major step toward the commercial rollout of its next-generation solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology.
The facility at Industrial Park Lausitz will put Sunfire’s most powerful SOEC product generation through long-term testing under real industrial conditions. The project brings together industry, government and technology leaders and is designed to validate the technology ahead of its first commercial-scale deployments.
SOEC systems operate at temperatures of around 850 degrees Celsius and can reach electrical efficiencies of up to 89% LHV, AC, according to Sunfire. By using available waste heat, the technology can cut the energy required to produce green hydrogen and synthesis gas, potentially lowering production costs.
Sunfire says it has delivered more industrial SOEC demonstration projects than any other company worldwide. The new Schwarzheide facility is intended to build on that track record while generating long-term operational data needed to scale the technology.
Nils Aldag, CEO of Sunfire, said: “Sunfire stands for green hydrogen technologies ‘Made in Germany’. While our pressurized alkaline electrolyzers are already being successfully deployed in large-scale industrial projects across Europe, we also see high-temperature electrolysis as a critical enabler of the energy transition. SOEC technology has the potential to become another key technology for industrial decarbonization.
"As the global market leader in SOEC, we are playing a key role in shaping this development. With the test facility at BASF’s Schwarzheide site, we are consistently executing our SOEC strategy and advancing the commercialization of this technology. The site offers ideal conditions to further accelerate the market ramp-up of high-temperature electrolysis.”
Sunfire CTO Christian von Olshausen said the facility represents the final stage before commercial deployment.
“Our SOEC technology demonstrates the full potential of German engineering expertise. By utilizing available waste heat, high-temperature electrolysis achieves record efficiency levels and can significantly reduce the production costs of green hydrogen and synthesis gas. Breaking ground on the testing facility at Industrial Park Lausitz marks an important milestone.
"Through validation under real industrial conditions, we are completing the final steps before implementing the first commercial projects. As a leader in high-temperature electrolysis, we are building on our extensive experience from industrial demonstration projects while gaining additional insights through long-term operational testing to successfully scale the technology.”
The project also strengthens Industrial Park Lausitz’s position as a hub for emerging industrial technologies, according to BASF InfraService & Solutions Lausitz.
