A new European research initiative is developing high-efficiency electrolysis technologies to produce renewable hydrogen from water in a more sustainable, cost-effective and efficient way, using advanced and responsible approaches to reduce CO₂ emissions.
The project, coordinated by CENER, brings together a European consortium of ten partners and two affiliated entities, including, on the Spanish side, the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Zaragoza through a team from the Institute of Nanoscience and Materials of Aragon (INMA, a joint CSIC-Unizar centre).
Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is an excellent energy carrier capable of storing and supplying energy in a clean and versatile way. However, it is rarely found in isolation and must be produced from compounds such as water or hydrocarbons. According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Hydrogen Review 2023 report, only about one per cent of global hydrogen production currently comes from low-emission sources, as most of it is obtained from fossil fuels through processes that release large amounts of carbon dioxide. Increasing renewable hydrogen production is therefore essential to decarbonise sectors such as heavy industry, long-distance transport and large-scale energy storage.
The DESIREE project (acronym for ‘Development of Enhanced SOEL Components for Improved Reliability and Endurance’, or Development of Enhanced SOEL Components for Improved Reliability and Endurance) addresses this challenge by advancing solid oxide electrolysis (SOEL) technology, which produces hydrogen by separating water into hydrogen and oxygen through high-temperature electrolysis. When powered by renewable electricity, this process generates hydrogen without carbon dioxide emissions.
Scheduled to run from January 2026 to June 2029, DESIREE will design, build and validate a 40-kilowatt prototype system based on state-of-the-art stack technologies and focused on its optimisation, integration and operational performance at the system level. The project will demonstrate how high-temperature electrolysis, combined with thermochemical hydrogen compression, can enable the direct supply of pressurised hydrogen in a single integrated system. Overall efficiency is expected to exceed 85%, representing an improvement of more than 15% over current electrolysis technologies.
Setting a new technological benchmark
Although current SOEL systems already offer high efficiency, they present challenges related to long-term durability, energy consumption and operation under variable renewable energy conditions. DESIREE will address these challenges through innovations across the entire system, from materials and components to system design and control.
The project, coordinated by CENER, brings together a European consortium of 10 partners and 2 affiliated entities. The main focus is on improving the performance and sustainability of solid oxide electrolysers through innovation at different levels of research.
At the materials level, the aim is to improve the performance and durability of cells and stacks (the basic repetitive units of an SOEL system) through various complementary research activities, including: (i) the development of advanced electrodes enhanced with nanomaterials, (ii) the integration of highly durable glass-ceramic sealing systems, and (iii) recycling critical raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, lanthanum and strontium, as well as reintegrating them into the cell manufacturing process, along with additional developments in materials aimed at improving long-term stability, reducing operating temperature and ensuring compatibility with system-level integration.
At the system level, DESIREE will integrate a modular, compartmentalised design that will improve efficiency and simplify maintenance, recovering and reusing heat through advanced heat exchangers to compress hydrogen without additional electricity consumption. Advanced control and power electronics strategies will also be developed to ensure effective and efficient integration with renewable energies.
Towards a sustainable and inclusive energy future
DESIREE is a key step towards cleaner and more resilient energy systems. By promoting scientific innovation, sustainable design and circular manufacturing, it will help accelerate the adoption of clean hydrogen solutions for industry, transport and energy storage.
“DESIREE directly supports the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Fit for 55 package and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, contributing to the European Union’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieve a fully decarbonised economy by 2050,” said project coordinator Iñigo Garbayo, head of the Hydrogen Area of CENER’s Network Integration Department.
With a total budget of close to €4 million, the project is supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme.
Photo: The DESIREE team during the project launch meeting in January 2026.
Contact information:
- Project coordination:
- Íñigo Garbayo: igarbayo@cener.com
- Communication:
- Mariano Echávarri: mechavarri@zabala.es
- Ana Báscones: abascones@zabala.es
04-03-2026
