Recent Advances in Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells for Solar Energy Conversion

Abstract

To implement global energy transitions, the efficient utilization of clean energy plays a central role in the process and has become an imperative task. Among various approaches, solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) stand out as exceptional energy conversion devices because of their ability to transform thermal and electrical energy into chemical energy. For example, solar energy is a clean and renewable energy source and can be effectively harnessed to power SOECs, thereby facilitating efficient conversion from solar to chemical energy. In light of the growing interest in leveraging SOECs for solar energy conversion, a systematic collation and comprehensive review of the relevant studies reported thus far have yet to be conducted. This review summarizes and analyzes recent advances in the field of SOECs, including their fundamentals, performance metrics, current status, and methods of integration with solar energy. It also proposes various optimization strategies for the existing integration of solar energy with SOEC systems, with a specific emphasis on full-spectrum utilization. Finally, this study provides a perspective on the future development and challenges for SOECs in the context of solar energy conversion.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

SOEC / Solar energy / Energy efficiency / Energy conversion / Solar energy integration / Hydrogen / Chemical Sciences / Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural) / Engineering / Materials Engineering

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(52341602)

Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant(No. LQ24E060001)

Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant(No. LDT23E06014E06)

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2022ZFJH04)

Canada First Research Excellence Fund(CFRER-2015-00001)

University of Alberta's Future Energy Systems research initiative(FES-T02-P03)

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