World’s Largest High-Temperature Electrolyzer Commissioned in Rotterdam

At the Neste refinery in Rotterdam, the world’s largest high-temperature electrolyzer (HTE) has successfully started operation. The plant is part of the European demonstration project MultiPLHY, supported by the German electrolyzer manufacturer Sunfire, the Dutch fuel producer Neste, the French research institute CEA, and the energy company ENGIE.

As part of the project, the partners are testing the integration of Sunfire’s innovative Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) technology into industrial processes. Sunfire is responsible for the operation and control of the electrolyzer, while Neste manages its integration into the refinery infrastructure. CEA coordinates the overall project, and ENGIE is conducting a comprehensive techno-economic assessment.

“With MultiPLHY, we aim to explore various ways to replace fossil-based hydrogen in refinery processes and thereby significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” explains Jukka Kanerva, Senior Vice President Renewable Refining at Neste.

Sunfire’s HTE consists of twelve modules and operates at a process temperature of around 850 °C with a capacity of 2.6 MW. It can produce approximately 60 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour. According to Sunfire, it is the largest HTE ever installed in an industrial environment worldwide. By utilizing waste heat in the electrolysis process, the system achieves an efficiency of up to 84 %, significantly reducing electricity consumption. The project aims to demonstrate that green hydrogen can be a viable alternative to fossil-based hydrogen in the refinery industry.

MultiPLHY is supported by the European Commission under the Clean Hydrogen Partnership with funding of around seven million euros. The goal is to pave the way for climate-friendly hydrogen production on an industrial scale and thus make an important contribution to the decarbonization of European industry.