Recent advances in high temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell for hydrogen production

When renewable energy sources are coupled with high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) that produce hydrogen, it seems like future energy sustainability is within reach. The ability to electrolyze water to make hydrogen and then reverse the process to generate electricity in a single solid oxide cell (SOC) device is particularly attractive for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. The development of efficient, long-lasting, and economically viable SOEC technologies is hindered by the performance of critical materials, the stability and dependability of electrode and electrolyte materials under reversible electrolysis and fuel cell operating modes, and fuel cell operation modes. Due of their immaturity, SOEC pose both opportunities and challenges to the growing community of material scientists and system engineers studying electrochemical energy conversion and storage.