“TECNALIA offers its experience in power electronics”
TECNALIA validates commercial electrolysis in Europe to demonstrate its flexibility and ability to deliver grid services
SURFER will validate three electrolysis technologies: PEMEL, AEL and SOEL at sites in France, Germany and Norway, becoming the first project to provide grid services with commercial electrolysis plants. This will demonstrate the ability of each technology to act as a dynamic buffer for the electricity system to rapidly modulate its operation and adapt to variations in renewables, electricity demand and waste heat.
To this end, partners provide large-scale plants already in operation, with capacities of up to 10 MW, 1.5 MW and 300 kW respectively. The plants will produce hydrogen when there is a renewable surplus, recover waste heat and, in a world first, provide commercial services to the electrical grid.
On-grid electrolysers
As part of the international consortium, TECNALIA is leading the integration of the electrolysers into the electrical grid, offering its experience in power electronics, energy modelling and integration of renewables.
- It establishes the grid connection requirements for flexible electrolysers, ensuring their safe and stable operation.
- It develops advanced control algorithms for the provision of grid services, both frequency and voltage, enabling these plants to actively contribute to the stability of the electricity system.
- It analyses the participation of electrolysers in electricity markets, identifying opportunities for them to generate additional revenues through flexibility services.
- It assists in the integration of the electrolysers into the project’s energy management systems (EMS), ensuring optimised and coordinated operation with the available renewable production.
TECNALIA’s contribution is part of the main objective of the project: to demonstrate that electrolysis plants can generate new business models by providing grid stabilisation services, while promoting a more resilient, decarbonised electricity grid that makes better use of renewable energy.
Energy transition in Europe
SURFER will help accelerate the deployment of renewable hydrogen, reducing its cost through operational flexibility, improvements in power electronics and market integration. The project will also strengthen European energy security by proving that electrolysers can quickly adapt to the variability of renewable generation and act as new actors of system stability.
The consortium brings together grid operators, technology centres, electrolyser manufacturers, hydrogen producers and safety experts to develop the dynamics of electrolysers and their integration into the energy system: SINTEF, Lhyfe, CEA, Varanger Kraft, Atmen, RTE, Energy Pool, Genvia, DNV, Fraunhofer IWES and Nidec.
The project is backed by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its members, and has been co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101250344.