Solid oxide electrolysis - a key enabling technology for sustainable energy scenarios

Production of fuels and chemicals from steam and/or CO2 with solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) and electricity have attracted considerable interest recently. This paper is an extended version of the introductory lecture presented at the first Faraday Discussions meeting on the subject. The focus is on the state of the art of cells, stacks and systems. Thermodynamics, performance and degradation are addressed. Remaining challenges and potential application of the technology are discussed from an industrial perspective.