Topsoe, ABB, and Fluor have announced a strategic alliance to design a standardized concept for building Topsoe's next solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) factory in Virginia, US, pending final investment approval. The collaboration aims to streamline processes, reduce costs, enhance safety, and ensure efficient project execution for the production of green hydrogen.
The new factory, expected to be operational by 2028, will provide cutting-edge electrolyzers crucial for producing green hydrogen, a key element in decarbonizing energy-intensive industries and long-distance transportation.
Kim Hedegaard, Chief Executive of Power-to-X at Topsoe, emphasized the importance of scaling up electrolyzer capacity and e-fuels production to meet global net-zero targets by 2050. He stated, “Our SOEC solutions for production of green hydrogen can deliver a substantial contribution to the e-fuels economy, and with the alliance, we can build our next SOEC factory more efficiently and faster.”
Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries, highlighted the necessity of collaboration and technological innovation to accelerate the energy transition. He stated, “By joining forces with Topsoe and Fluor and delivering our automation and electrical expertise as part of this alliance, we can support the scaling of technology to enable society's efforts to move towards a net-zero future.”
Richard Meserole, President of Fluor's Advanced Technologies & Life Sciences business, expressed pride in supporting the state-of-the-art production of electrolyzers for green hydrogen. He affirmed, “Fluor looks forward to continuing to help our clients and partners achieve their decarbonization goals.”
The alliance builds upon Topsoe's current SOEC factory project in Herning, Denmark, slated for operation in late 2024. Drawing from the experience of the Herning project, the consortium is confident in its capabilities to construct the next factory efficiently through a standardized concept.
According to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global Hydrogen Review 2023, annual hydrogen production may reach 38 million tonnes per year in 2030, with nearly 75% derived from electrolyzers powered by renewable energy sources.
