Elcogen, a leading European manufacturer of technology that enables the efficient production of affordable green hydrogen and emission-free electricity, announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Casale, a global provider of technologies and integrated engineering solutions to produce ammonia and other base chemicals. This is a non-exclusive Memorandum that will enable the parties to collaborate on green ammonia and other Power-to-X (P2X) projects.
Under this MoU, the two companies will explore commercial projects of mutual interest, with a view to integrating Elcogen’s solid oxide electrolysis stack and stack module technology into Casale’s plants, and potentially other P2X applications globally. In turn, Elcogen can provide their technology platform and related technical services to support Casale in its process design efforts for developers on the international market.
This partnership marks a significant milestone in the green energy transition, with the possibility of combining Casale’s proven, mature process design expertise with Elcogen’s cutting-edge Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) technology for highly efficient green hydrogen production.
Driving the future of sustainable solutions with green hydrogen
Ammonia production, which today relies primarily on hydrogen derived from natural gas, has traditionally been dependent on fossil fuels, making it a significant source of CO2 emissions. However, by coupling green hydrogen technology into ammonia production and leveraging renewable energy sources, the new process can significantly reduce emissions, offering a cleaner and more sustainable solution for the industry. Combining Elcogen’s efficient SOEC technology with Casale’s high-performance ammonia solutions, the parties will be able to propose leading solutions to the green ammonia market. SOEC is ideally suited to integration with industrial processes, producing hydrogen directly where it is needed as feedstock.
“Solid oxide technology is on track to reach cost parity with PEM and Alkaline systems soon, and once it does, it will offer even greater value. With a lower levelised cost of hydrogen, greater scalability, and a lack of reliance on precious materials like iridium and platinum, it’s a future-proof technology that’s expected to become a key player in the green ammonia space as it matures. This will provide a competitive advantage to both companies,” said Mikael Jansen, Director of Business Development at Elcogen, adding, “This MoU is an exciting step forward. With over 100 years of experience, Casale is a world-class player, and we are humbled that a major ammonia technology provider shares our same vision. Together, we are making a tangible contribution to world sustainability goals. We’re poised to set a new standard for sustainable ammonia production”.
SOEC technology offers unparalleled advantages compared to water electrolysis. It requires less electricity to produce hydrogen due to faster and more efficient kinetics, and it can use steam generated from the waste heat of industrial processes – such as ammonia production – further reducing the electricity needed for hydrogen production. Unlike water electrolysis, it produces little to no waste heat itself. The elcoStack technology platform operates at a lower temperature compared to many other solutions while retaining high efficiency and power densities, providing a simpler and more cost-efficient solution for integrating solid oxide technology into an electrolyser system.
“Observing Elcogen’s achievements in solid oxide technology, we see a highly complementary fit with Casale’s deep expertise in process integration and plant design. This collaboration opens new possibilities for industrial applications of green hydrogen, particularly in ammonia production and also in other technologies. We believe this partnership will allow both companies to explore innovative solutions in the Power-to-X space, building on our shared commitment to accelerate the energy transition,” said Federico Zardi, CEO of Casale SA.
