Hydrogen production equipment is born from Estonian-Finnish cooperation
In the lobby of Elcogen's headquarters in Ülemiste, Tallinn, there is a map of the world with markings all over the planet. The Estonian company's products have already been delivered to many places. Especially in Asia, there are many flags as signs of success.
Hanna Granö-Fabritius, CEO of Elcogen's Finnish subsidiary, presents cell stacks in the Elcogen conditioning hall in Vantaa. Photo: Hannu Anttila
"We are a component manufacturer," says Hanna Granö-Fabritius, Managing Director of Elcogen's Finnish subsidiary, during a visit to the headquarters in Estonia.
Elcogen's lines produce basic equipment for hydrogen production: electrolysis and fuel cells, electrolysis and fuel cell stacks and modules assembled from the stacks.
Electrolysers use electricity to break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, while fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen into water. Elcogen has built its new products to be bi-directional, meaning that the same components can act as both electrolysers and fuel cells.
Elcogen specialises in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technologies. These are new technologies and still partly under development. Electrolysers built from SOECs operate at temperatures of 650–850 degrees Celsius using steam. Part of the energy used to break down water comes from heat, reducing the need for electricity to produce hydrogen. SOEC technology can also be used to produce synthetic methane from carbon dioxide and water.
The SOFC conditioning station is used for the final stage and quality assurance of the cell stack production. Photo: Elcogen
The cells are manufactured in Tallinn
"Here in Tallinn, we manufacture cells. Elcogen was born here because after the Soviet space exploration, there was a high level of ceramic expertise here, which is needed in cell production," says Granö-Fabritius.
The production is expanding rapidly, and a new 10 000 m2 production facility is currently being planned. The current plant in Tallinn, next to the headquarters, is less than 10 years old.
The cell stacks are assembled in Vantaa
Hannu Anttila, Sales Director, sits in the Finnish office at Elcogen's production plant in Vantaa. The latest extension to the facilities at the Vantaa plant was finished a couple of weeks ago.
"Here in Vantaa, we assemble cells into stacks," Anttila says.
A single cell made in Tallinn weighs about 20 grams. A cell stack is created by combining 119 cells. With all its parts, a single cell stack weighs 33 kilograms. By combining the stacks, a module is created.
"In fuel cell mode, one cell stack produces 3 kilowatts of electricity. In electrolysis mode, the same cell stack produces 3 cubic metres of hydrogen per hour, consuming about 9 kilowatts of electricity," Anttila says.
The cell stack is still a component, and a system has to be assembled from the different components for use. Elcogen's Finnish partner Convion's system consists of 24 Elcogen cell stacks, plus heat exchangers, power electronics, sensors and automation. The first Convion system with Elcogen SOEC components has now been commissioned at VTT Bioruukki (read the story here).
Just as in Estonia, this production in Finland has been born out of previous research and product development. In Finland, the know-how behind Elcogen's production was created through the work of VTT, Wärtsilä and Tekes.
A cell stack made up of 119 cells. Photo: Elcogen
Skilled people are needed
Back to Tallinn to Granö-Fabritius. The CEO of the Finnish subsidiary is concerned about the lack of talent. The products are in high demand in the market, and several investors have invested in Elcogen's growth. In the future, the company plans to concentrate mass production in Estonia and expand product development in Finland.
However, it has been difficult to find workers in Estonia, where labour shortages have become a long-standing phenomenon. In Finland, too, there are not enough in-house experts, and it is difficult to attract foreign talents from around the world—a situation not helped by the Finnish bureaucracy associated with non-EU workers.
“It pays to send us job applications,” Granö-Fabritius reminds us.
You can find out more about Elcogen's production and how cell stacks are made by attending the BotH2nia goes Helsinki event on 1–2 June.