“Delta Net Zero Science Lab,” Taiwan’s first megawatt (MW)-grade research and development facility for water electrolysis hydrogen generation and fuel cells, was opened at its Tainan Plant 2.
Delta has been known for its power management and Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart green solutions. This important milestone offers a varied testing environment for fuel cell and hydrogen production technology component and system validation.
In order to help ‘Formosa’ keep up with the trends of the global energy revolution, it also seeks to promote materials from the regional hydrogen energy supply chain.
Senior executives from China Steel Corporation, CPC Corporation, and Taiwan Power Company, as well as Environment Minister Chi-Ming Peng and Deputy Minister of the National Development Council Fang-Guan Jan, graced the opening ceremony.
In order to assist customers in establishing low-carbon, high-efficiency distributed energy grids and energy management solutions, Delta has already implemented its SOFC technology in microgrid pilot projects.
This technology integrates renewable energy, energy storage, and power management systems. Furthermore, the SOEC technology can be used in a variety of industrial processes by combining industrial heat recovery with steam to make hydrogen gas. The steel industry’s attempts to lower carbon emissions and the production of carbon-neutral fuels by conventional fossil fuel energy businesses can both benefit from this technology.
In addition to the necessary safety equipment, the Delta Net Zero Science Lab has the power, natural gas, hydrogen, and high-temperature control settings needed for a variety of testing situations.
It has extensive features, such as a monitoring system, gas supply module, stack testing module, and system testing module. The lab’s formal opening represents Delta’s dedication to developing hydrogen energy technologies.
In the future, Delta will keep pushing the boundaries of hydrogen energy technology innovation and working with business, academia, and government agencies to support the regional hydrogen energy industry with this new Delta Net Zero Science Lab. This endeavor seeks to actively support both the worldwide objective of net-zero carbon emissions and humanity’s energy transformation.
Delta Net Zero Science Lab Overview
The Delta Net Zero Science Lab can support MW-scale hydrogen generation by water electrolysis and fuel cells fuelled by a variety of fuels. It serves as a strong R&D support system for hydrogen energy solutions and localized supply chain integration by offering the verification site required for material localization, including stack testing modules, thermal system testing, and performance validation. Important points to note are:
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC): An environmentally friendly and highly efficient energy generation system that uses solid oxide fuel cells to directly convert the chemical energy of fuels (such natural gas and hydrogen) into heat and electricity. With operating temperatures between 500°C and 600°C, it’s perfect for incorporating waste heat recovery and increasing the effectiveness of energy use. A key technology for the energy transition and carbon reduction, SOFCs are well-known for their high efficiency, low emissions, and fuel flexibility. They are extensively used in microgrids, distributed energy supplies, and high-efficiency power generation systems.
Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) Technology: Solid oxides are used as electrolytes in a medium-temperature electrolysis process that separates water into hydrogen and oxygen. Operating between 500°C and 600°C, SOEC efficiently uses external heat sources, such as industrial recycle heat, to lower power consumption and improve the efficiency of hydrogen generation. Because SOEC has a higher energy conversion efficiency than conventional electrolysis technologies, it is especially well-suited for integration with industrial processes or energy systems to produce hydrogen on a large scale at a low cost and to speed up the development of green hydrogen, which is a major factor in achieving carbon neutrality goals.
Stack Performance Testing Facilities: This is the only self-designed and manufactured SOEC/SOFC stack performance testing facility in Taiwan, and it was independently established by Delta. It satisfies requirements for local supply chain implementation, including fabrication of cells and stacks, testing and validation of different materials, and more. The testing lab also offers quick failure diagnosis from various production batches, which contributes to production quality assurance.
Key Comments
Ping Cheng, Delta’s Chairman and CEO, underscored, “Achieving net-zero carbon emissions has become a global consensus, and hydrogen energy provides a crucial path to that ultimate goal. Guided by its mission, ‘To provide innovative, clean, and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,’ Delta has been dedicated to the development of next-generation green energy technologies for decades. Our new testing platform not only lays the foundation for Delta’s R&D endeavors on hydrogen technology, but also advances the local hydrogen technology ecosystem. We look forward to contributing to Taiwan’s energy transition and enhancing its competitive edge in the global hydrogen energy market.
Dr. Charles Tsai, General Manager of Delta’s Hydrogen Energy Application New Business Development Department, noted, “The challenge of hydrogen energy adoption lies in how to effectively improve efficiency. To this end, Delta has focused on industry-leading solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technologies and has developed Taiwan’s first SOEC/SOFC self-designed and produced stack performance testing facilities.”
“This facility works in conjunction with the local supply chain, enabling validation and testing of various material categories, thereby laying a foundation for the localized production of key components and materials, ranging from hydrogen power generation and fuel cell stacks to system integration. By leveraging Delta’s expertise in energy infrastructure integration, we are committed to providing efficient and stable hydrogen energy solutions, with mass production in Taiwan expected by the end of 2026, added Dr. Charles Tsai.“
