Thermax Partners with Ceres Power for Green Hydrogen Solutions

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) Thermax on Thursday announced that it has partnered with Ceres Power to manufacture large-scale Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC), an equipment used in green hydrogen production.

Under this partnership, Thermax will leverage its extensive experience in heat integration and waste heat recovery to manufacture a first-of-its-kind pressurised stack array modules (SAM) and design, engineer, and develop SAM balance of module (SBM), a building block for further development of a multi-MW SOEC electrolyser module, a statement said.

Thermax, a leading energy and environment solutions provider, has inked a strategic collaboration with Ceres Power Limited, a subsidiary of Ceres Power Holdings plc (CWRL), a leading developer of clean energy technology, according to the statement.

The two companies have entered a non-exclusive, global license agreement for Thermax to manufacture, sell and service stack array modules (SAM) based on Ceres' advanced solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology.

Thermax will also develop, commercialise and sell SAM balance of modules (SBM) and multi-megawatt SOEC electrolyser modules.

The partnership marks a significant step towards accelerating the deployment of SOEC technology in India and worldwide that will enable cost-effective green hydrogen production.

The collaboration is set to revolutionise the hydrogen production landscape by delivering systems that are up to 25 per cent more efficient than incumbent low-temperature electrolysis technologies and effectively utilise steam generated from industrial process heat/waste heat recovery, it stated.

This makes it an optimal solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries like ammonia/fertiliser, steel, refineries and chemical production.

As a step towards commercialisation, Thermax plans to establish a manufacturing facility for the electrolysers, develop the supply chain, and localise critical components.

This collaboration positions Thermax among the few companies globally to provide large-scale SOEC systems for commercial applications, it stated.

Ashish Bhandari, Managing Director & CEO, Thermax, said, "By leveraging our expertise in thermal management, we aim to offer a highly efficient and cost-effective hydrogen production solution that will accelerate the energy transition in India and globally. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to driving sustainable solutions for accelerating decarbonisation for hard-to-abate industries".

Ceres CEO Phil Caldwell stated, "This system licence agreement will take Ceres into the Indian market, which is rapidly becoming one of the most dynamic and increasingly important markets for green hydrogen, green steel and green ammonia".

Our technology enables Thermax to develop next-generation hydrogen solutions for its customers in the hard-to-abate industrial sectors, stimulating market demand pull for our manufacturing licensees, Caldwell added.