Your partner for sustainable hydrogen generation
One of the most important challenges today is the decarbonization of the global economy. The key to meeting this challenge is to consistently expand renewable energy sources and integrate them in developed industry, energy, and mobility infrastructures. We generate “green” hydrogen from renewable energy using PEM electrolysis, and in doing so make an important contribution to the global energy transition. The SILYZER product line helps you integrate fluctuating energy sources such as sun and wind in your process. We are setting the standards when it comes to sustainable hydrogen generation for the future. From planning and commissioning to operation, we support you as a reliable partner with a proven service concept tailored to your requirements.
Power-to-X unlocks enormous environmental and business potential. Tune in to our webinar on November 14 and learn more about how to get to a carbon neutral world with renewables and hydrogen economy.
Decarbonisation / Hydrogen
Renewable energy is playing an increasingly important role worldwide. It’s the backbone of a sustainable, CO2 free energy sector, and thus a key technology for achieving decarbonization by the year 2100. Its share in global power generation is growing daily. But how can fluctuating energy sources such as sun and wind be integrated in existing grids, ongoing industrial processes, and flexible, individual mobility?
Hydrogen isn’t just the fuel of the future – it’s the fuel of the present!
Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe. Almost all of our chemical fuels are based on hydrogen, although in a bound form as hydrocarbons or other hydrogen compounds. To limit climate change caused by the global increase in CO2 emissions, solutions must be found for generating carbonneutral and, therefore, sustainable fuels. This requires, among other things, that hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources.
Electrolysis for sustainable hydrogen generation
As early as 1800, two Englishmen named William Nicholson and Anthony Carlisle discovered electrolysis, a process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. Direct current was used. The two men thus founded a new field of chemistry, electrochemistry.
For many decades, the electrolysis of water was the standard method for producing hydrogen and led the French author Jules Verne, in his 1874 novel “The Mysterious Island” to state: “Water will be the coal of the future.” Over the years, gas reformation and coal gasification have prevailed as a major source of hydrogen, thanks to the development of the natural gas infrastructure.
PEM-Electrolysis – dynamic, efficient, clean
J. H. Russell and his colleagues first recognized the enormous potential of PEM electrolysis for the energy industry in 1973.
PEM takes its name from the proton exchange membrane. PEM’s special property is that it is permeable to protons but not to gases such as hydrogen or oxygen. As a result, in an electrolytic process the membrane takes on, among other things, the function of a separator that prevents the product gases from mixing.
On the front and back of the membrane are electrodes that are connected to the positive and negative poles of the voltage source. This is where water molecules are split. In contrast to traditional alkaline electrolysis, the highly dynamic PEM technology is ideally suited to harvest volatile energy generated from wind and solar power. PEM electrolysis also has the following characteristics:
- High efficiency at high power density
- High product gas quality, even at partial load
- Low maintenance and reliable operation
- No chemicals or impurities
Our SILYZER portfolio: the optimized solution for your requirementsGenerating sufficient amounts of hydrogen requires innovative solutions – like the SILYZER product family from Siemens, an innovative PEM electrolysis system that uses wind and solar energy to produce hydrogen and is totally CO2-free. That makes SILYZER twice as useful – and twice as clean.
SILYZER 300 is the latest, most powerful product line in the double-digit megawatt range of Siemens’ PEM electrolysis portfolio. SILYZER 300’s modular design makes unique use of scaling effects to minimize investment costs for large-scale industrial electrolysis plants. The optimized solution results in very low hydrogen production costs thanks to high plant efficiency and availability.
Decarbonize your industry with a system that
- offers the highest level of efficiency and extraordinary dynamics at a competitive price and with low maintenance requirements,
- is free of hazardous substances,
- delivers nothing but pure hydrogen of the highest quality.
SILYZER 200 can be adapted to your specific needs. Thanks to its design and practical expansion options, it offers maximum flexibility. The basic system consists of at least one 1.25 MW skid. Multiple basic systems can be combined into a PEM electrolysis network in a higher performance class. Depending on your needs, a variety of technical options round out the complete package, including a recooling system, water treatment system, power grid connection, and much more. And, of course, all components are perfectly compatible. It even handles hydrogen production when operated under high pressure of up to 35 bar.
- Integrated: Performance based maintenance contracting
For over 170 years, we and our products have been meeting the highest quality standards. With our extensive knowledge of the industry, mobility, and energy sectors, we’re able to develop cross-industry solutions that are designed to generate added value for our customers. From grid integration to innovative control technology, you benefit from Siemens’ decades of experience and innovative strength. We also have access to an extensive network of select partners who optimally complement our offerings. This knowledge and experience enables us to create tailored solutions based on individual customer requirements, and thus exploit the full potential.
SILYZER is loaded with high technology and expertise – naturally, in Siemens’ proven quality – including our SIMATIC PCS 7 control system and converters in the SINAMICS DCM series. We ensure that all the components work together reliably and optimally while guaranteeing maximum availability, reliability, and safety. You can be sure that we’ve combined all our experience and expertise in a high-quality system and are available to you around the clock as a dependable partner.
It is not inherently more dangerous than other fuel sources. Hydrogen is flammable and must be handled with care, just like other flammable fuels. To ignite, the hydrogen must be combined with an additional oxidizing agent (air, pure oxygen, chlorine, etc.) in a specific concentration and an ignition source (a spark). If, in a worst-case scenario, the hydrogen ignites, it burns upwards very quickly. It creates no dangerous heat radiation above the accident site, as petrol or kerosene do.
The facilities are designed to be permanently leak proof. Flange connections are designed especially for hydrogen and the number of detachable connections are minimized. Furthermore, in buildings a steady air exchange is ensured and the facilities are equipped with safety valves and pressure reliefs. Additionally explosion prevention zones are designated. In these zones, electrical and other equipment needs to be in accordance with 2014/34/EU (ATEX Directive).
Electrolysis processes can be categorized as follows: alkaline electrolysis with liquid alkaline electrolytes, acidic electrolysis with a solid polymer electrolyte (as PEM) and high temperature electrolysis with a solid oxide as electrolyte.
PEM electrolysis and alkaline electrolysis systems are available at an industrial scale. The solid oxide electrolysis technology is in an early development phase.
Hydrogen enables the long-term storage of large quantities of surplus renewable energy. It is allows new ways to use green electricity, i.e. by using hydrogen as substitute for natural gas by feeding it into existing pipelines, as fuel for fuel-cell vehicles or power plants, or as feedstock for the hydrogen processing industry. It opens the possibility to connect energy generation with the industry and mobility sectors, the so called “sector coupling”.
‘Green’ hydrogen is sourced by 100% renewable energy. That means that the needed energy to produce hydrogen by electrolysis has emitted zero emissions. Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels releasing emissions such as CO2, may be referred to as ‘grey’ or ‘brown’ hydrogen. If the emitted carbon dioxide is captured, stored (carbon capture storage) and re-used, it is often called ‘blue’ hydrogen.