Award Number: DE-EE0008079CX(s) Applied: A9, B3.6Fuel Cells Technologies Office Location(s): ILOffice(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
July 24, 2017
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Degradation Characterization and Modeling of a New Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell Utilizing Accelerated Life Testing
Award Number: DE-EE0008079
CX(s) Applied: A9, B3.6
Fuel Cells Technologies Office
Location(s): IL
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to Northwestern University (Northwestern) to design, develop, and fabricate novel solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for efficient hydrogen production. Only Budget Period 1 (BP1) is being negotiated at this time so this NEPA review is for BP1 activities only. Additional NEPA review will be required if DOE proposes to continue funding the project into subsequent budget periods.
Northwestern would develop mechanistic degradation models that can realistically predict long-term SOEC durability, using input data from an accelerated testing approach combining electrochemical life testing with quantitative micro-structural and micro-chemical evaluation. Project work would occur within dedicated research laboratories on the Northwestern campus in Evanston, IL. BP1 would include proof-of-concept demonstration that the fabrication, life testing, characterization and modeling efforts are working together, as well as confirm that the theoretical model provides results in agreement with the experimental results. To accomplish this, Northwestern would fabricate baseline SOECs for accelerated electrochemical life testing. They would use micro-structural and chemical characterization to quantify any changes to the baseline cells. The results would be used to guide the theoretical work for electrolyte degradation during electrolysis operation. The combination of accelerated testing and theoretical work would be used to plan the work to be conducted in latter budget periods. Collaboration is proposed to occur with the HydroGEN Energy Materials Network (EMN) National Laboratory consortium.