Ceres Power and Shell Forge Ahead with Green Hydrogen Technology Development

Ceres Power Holdings plc (CWR.L), a UK based prominent player in clean energy technology, has clinched another significant contract for the next phase of its partnership with Shell. This collaboration aims to design a solid oxide electrolyser (SOEC) module tailored for large-scale industrial applications like synthetic fuels, ammonia, and green steel.

The collaboration between Ceres and Shell, which began in 2022, led to the successful deployment of a 1MW SOEC system at Shell’s R&D facility in Bangalore, India. Expanding on this achievement, the focus of the latest contract is to develop a pressurized module design capable of scaling to hundreds of megawatts and seamlessly integrating with industrial plants to produce sustainable future fuels.

This initiative will leverage insights and data gleaned from the existing 1MW demonstration project to craft a commercially competitive and scalable solution. Central to this effort is harnessing the substantial efficiency gains offered by SOEC technology, which yields approximately 35% more hydrogen per unit of electrical energy when coupled with heat from industrial processes.

The project will explore pressurized systems to drive further efficiency, performance, and integration with other processes, targeting a module level efficiency of less than 36kWh/kg of hydrogen, in line with EU SOE 2030 technology targets.

Phil Caldwell, Chief Executive of Ceres, emphasized the significance of their collaboration with Shell in advancing SOEC technology to meet the growing demand for green hydrogen and synthetic fuels. He highlighted Ceres’ commitment to continuous innovation, positioning their commercial offering at the forefront of the industry in terms of simplicity, efficiency, and performance.