Electrolyser Stack Test Has Shattered Durability Records
A 25,000-hour trial confirms a new operating strategy that dramatically slows cell degradation.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Energy
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DynElectro has completed a 25,000-hour test of a 70-cell solid oxide electrolyser stack, significantly exceeding the previous industry record of approximately 9,500 hours. The results, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate that a novel operating process can maintain structural integrity over multi-year spans.
Why it matters
Extending the lifespan of electrolysis stacks is critical for reducing the cost of green hydrogen production, as it enables longer operational intervals without frequent maintenance or replacement. This milestone marks a significant step toward meeting stringent European Union performance targets for 2030.
The stack maintained an average degradation rate of 0.23% per 1,000 hours at 750°C and -0.5 A/cm², with a long-term rate as low as 0.05%. This performance significantly outperforms the EU 2030 target of 0.5% degradation per 1,000 hours.
The players
DynElectro
A developer of solid oxide electrolysis technology focused on improving stack durability and hydrogen production efficiency.
DTU Energy
A Danish research institution specializing in energy materials, fuel cells, and electrolysis development.
The details
Researchers employed a patented AC:DC operating process that periodically reverses the stack's polarity from electrolysis mode to fuel cell mode. This dynamic cycling prevents material fatigue, as microstructural post-mortem analysis performed by DTU Energy confirmed no measurable nickel migration or electrode cracking occurred. By shifting the operational strategy rather than changing the physical materials of the 70-cell stack, the team achieved a lifespan nearly triple that of the prior 9,500-hour full-stack record.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02
Study results published in Nature Communications.
2027-Q1: Planned deployment of a 1 MW unit in the Netherlands.
2030: EU KPI deadline for solid oxide electrolysis efficiency.
The Tech Race
This performance benchmark sets a new ceiling for solid oxide electrolysis durability, far surpassing the requirements set by the EU 2030 target. It signals a move away from material-heavy design iterations toward advanced power-management strategies to extend stack life.
This development targets industrial-scale hydrogen producers who currently face high operational costs due to frequent stack replacements. The commercial viability of this technology will be tested in 2027, when a 1 MW deployment will provide the first real-world data outside of a research lab.
The takeaway
Reliable long-term electrolysis is the primary hurdle for cost-effective green hydrogen, and this trial proves that cycling strategies can overcome material degradation. Watch for the performance report on the 1 MW Netherlands deployment in 2027 to see if these lab results hold under industrial loads.
What happens next
DynElectro is scheduled to deploy a 1 MW-scale unit in the Netherlands during the first quarter of 2027.
Further reading
For more on the evolution of hydrogen technology, visit the Energy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fuelcellsworks.
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