Sunfire begins construction of a SOEC test facility at BASF's Schwarzheide site

The Lausitz manufacturing park and Sunfire set the official groundbreaking ceremony to a environmentally friendly hydrogen test facility in the presence of representatives from politics, business and sector. In Schwarzheide, Sunfire will in future validate its latest and most powerful SOEC product generation in an manufacturing ecological stability.

High-temperature electrolysis (SOEC) uses available discarded materials heat and thus enables highly efficient hydrogen production. As an innovation leader, Sunfire has significantly shaped the research of the methodology, achieving record efficiencies of up to 89% LHV, AC [1]. With the establishment of the SOEC test facility, the project is strengthening Lusatia as a location to future technologies.

Sunfire CEO Nils Aldag: “Sunfire stands to environmentally friendly hydrogen technologies, 'Made in Germany'. While our pressure-alkali electrolysers are already being applied successfully in extensive manufacturing projects across Europe, we also see high-temperature electrolysis as a decisive lever to the energy transition. SOEC methodology has the possible to have become the further key methodology to the decarbonization of the sector. As SOEC world market leader, we play a key role in shaping this research. With the test facility at the BASF site in Schwarzheide, we consistently implement our SOEC strategy and continue to promote the commercialization of the methodology. The location offers ideal conditions to further accelerating the market ramp-up of high-temperature electrolysis.”

Christian von Olshausen, CTO of Sunfire: “With our SOEC methodology, we show the full possible of German engineering expertise. By using available discarded materials heat, high-temperature electrolysis achieves record efficiencies and can significantly minimize production costs to environmentally friendly hydrogen and synthesis gaseous. The groundbreaking ceremony to the test facility in the Lausitz manufacturing park marks an crucial milestone: With the validation under real manufacturing conditions, we conclude the last steps before the implementation of the first commercial applications. As an innovation leader in high-temperature electrolysis, we build on our extensive experience from manufacturing demonstration projects and gain additional insights to successful scaling through practical prolonged tests.”

Jürgen Fuchs, CEO of BASF Infra Service & Solutions Lausitz GmbH: “With Sunfire, we have won a real sector leader and international methodology leader to the Lausitz manufacturing park to the future hydrogen market. This is a strong signal to the attractiveness of our location. In addition to our efficient infrastructure and the manufacturing ecological stability, the decisive factor was above all our implementation speed. Thanks to close cooperation between all those involved, we were able to create the conditions to the grid connection of the test facility in the shortest possible time and implement an ambitious project schedule. Our aim is not only to enable investments, however to make them a reality greater rapidly.”

Anne Francken, Commercial Director BASF Infra Service & Solutions Lausitz GmbH: “The basis to this project was laid long before today's groundbreaking-in a trusting and solution-oriented collaboration. Together with Sunfire, we have created the framework conditions to get a demanding project off the ground. Such projects only succeed if all those involved contribute their know-how and develop joint solutions. We are all the greater pleased that we can celebrate this milestone together today.”

[1] Expected efficiency of GEN 3 of Sunfire SOEC electrolysers. Efficiency of 84% LHV, AC proven in the EU-funded GrInHy2.0 project in 2022 with GEN 1.