TY - JOUR

T1 - Life Cycle Assessment of a 5 MW Polymer Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Plant

AU - Gerhardt-Mörsdorf, Janis

AU - Peterssen, Florian

AU - Burfeind, Paula

AU - Benecke, Mareike

AU - Bensmann, Boris

AU - Hanke-Rauschenbach, Richard

AU - Minke, Christine

N1 - Funding Information: Funding from Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture originating from the “Niedersächsisches Vorab” programme witihin the project “H2‐Wegweiser” (Grant No. ZN3770) and “InnoEly” (Grant No. ZN3771) is gratefully acknowledged.

PY - 2024/4/6

Y1 - 2024/4/6

N2 - This study performs a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of a 5 MW proton exchange membrane water electrolysis plant. The analysis follows a thorough engineering-based bottom-up design based on the electrochemical model of the system. Three scenarios are analyzed comprising a state-of-the-art (SoA) plant operated with the German electricity grid-mix, a SoA plant operated with a completely decarbonized energy system, and a future development plant electrolyzer with reduced energy and material demand, operated in a completely decarbonized energy system. The results display a global warming potential of 34 kg CO2-eq. kg-H2−1 and indicate a reduction potential of 89% when the plant is operated in a decarbonized energy system. A further reduction of 9% can be achieved by the technological development of the plant. Due to the reduced impacts of operation in a completely decarbonized energy system, the operation at locations with large offshore wind electricity capacity is recommended. In the construction phase, the stacks, especially the anode catalyst iridium, bipolar plates, and porous transport layers, are identified as dominant sources of the environmental impact. A sensitivity analysis shows that the environmental impact of the construction phase increases with a decreasing amount of operational full load hours of the plant.

AB - This study performs a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of a 5 MW proton exchange membrane water electrolysis plant. The analysis follows a thorough engineering-based bottom-up design based on the electrochemical model of the system. Three scenarios are analyzed comprising a state-of-the-art (SoA) plant operated with the German electricity grid-mix, a SoA plant operated with a completely decarbonized energy system, and a future development plant electrolyzer with reduced energy and material demand, operated in a completely decarbonized energy system. The results display a global warming potential of 34 kg CO2-eq. kg-H2−1 and indicate a reduction potential of 89% when the plant is operated in a decarbonized energy system. A further reduction of 9% can be achieved by the technological development of the plant. Due to the reduced impacts of operation in a completely decarbonized energy system, the operation at locations with large offshore wind electricity capacity is recommended. In the construction phase, the stacks, especially the anode catalyst iridium, bipolar plates, and porous transport layers, are identified as dominant sources of the environmental impact. A sensitivity analysis shows that the environmental impact of the construction phase increases with a decreasing amount of operational full load hours of the plant.

KW - environmental impacts

KW - hydrogen

KW - life cycle assessment

KW - polymer exchange membrane, water electrolysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182413075&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/aesr.202300135

DO - 10.1002/aesr.202300135

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85182413075

VL - 5

JO - Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research

JF - Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research

IS - 4

M1 - 2300135

ER -