Bosch cuts solid oxide fuel cell business
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Robert Bosch is to discontinue industrialisation of decentralised power supply systems based on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology and focus on electrolysers for generating hydrogen instead.
The move potentially hits Ceres Power in the UK, which was one of the technology suppliers and had a joint venture with Bosch and Weichai Power in China. Bosch was also working with Volvo spinout Powercell in Sweden on fuel cell technology.
Bosch had been planning to ramp up its solid oxide fuel cell technology for production last year and employs 550 staff in the SOFC business, but the market did not materialise, it says.
“For us as a company, volatile market developments mean that we have to consolidate our efforts and focus our portfolio. We see hydrogen as an important source of energy for decarbonizing the energy system. For the green production of hydrogen, large numbers of electrolysis plants with high-performance stacks will have to be set up worldwide. With its expertise, Bosch has huge business opportunities here. And it is on those opportunities that we will focus,” said Dr. Thomas Pauer, the president of Bosch Power Solutions.
There are also significant subsidies available in the EU for developing electrolysers using proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology and Bosch will provide the components for the fuel cell stack, which will be launched later this year.
Worldwide, hydrogen electrolysis will reach an installed capacity of between 100 and 170 gigawatts by 2030. By the end of the decade, the global electrolysis market is expected to have a volume of as much as €37bn.
SOFC was seen as a suitable stationary technology for datacentre power as the solid pellets are easier to transport than liquid hydrogen. Using a local electrolyser with renewable energy can potentially provide the hydrogen locally using water from the datacentre cooling systems.
Work to explore the possibilities of solid-oxide technology will continue within the company’s corporate research unit and the company says it also remains highly committed to mobile applications of H2 in fuel cells and hydrogen engines.
“Over the past ten years, Bosch has worked with partners to develop solid-oxide fuel-cell technology for decentralized power-supply systems. These achieved a high level of technical maturity, which was demonstrated in more than 100 pilot systems. Recently, however, the market has not developed as expected. On the one hand, the market is especially demanding higher-output systems with carbon capture, and this makes the conditions for economical operation significantly tougher. On the other hand, the conversion of hydrogen into electricity is not yet being given the necessary priority in Europe, and especially in Germany. This means that further engineering effort will be required in the years ahead, and this will significantly reduce commercial viability,” it said.
Bosch has informed Ceres that it will seek to end its partnership with Ceres in an orderly way, while continuing to meet its contractual obligations and will sell its its minority holding of 17.44%. Uwe Glock, the Bosch representative Non-executive Director on the Ceres Board, is stepping down with immediate effect.
“Whilst Ceres is disappointed that Bosch will discontinue its operations relating to the industrialisation and preparation for production of decentralised power-supply systems using Ceres’ solid oxide technology, we recognise that this decision is part of a broader revised strategic direction from Bosch and does not reflect its confidence around Ceres or our technology,” said Phil Caldwell, CEO of Ceres Power.
“Over the last 12 months Ceres has expanded its ecosystem of global manufacturing partners, as the business continues to license its best-in-class technology. This is underpinned by our strong financial performance, and we remain well positioned for the future,” he said.
This includes deals with Delta in Taiwan and Denso in Japan.
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