Heliogen and Bloom Energy combine technologies; Neste to receive €88M grant

Heliogen, Inc. and Bloom Energy Corporation announced the production of green hydrogen by integrating their respective technologies.

The successful demonstration in Lancaster, California, produced hydrogen and showcased the benefits of combining Heliogen’s concentrated solar energy system and the Bloom electrolyser.

Heliogen’s AI-enabled concentrated solar energy system creates carbon-free steam, electricity, and heat from abundant and renewable sunlight. When combined with Bloom’s proprietary solid oxide, high-temperature electrolyser, hydrogen can be produced 45% more efficiently than low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolysers.

Electricity accounts for nearly 80% of the cost of hydrogen from electrolysis. By using less electricity, hydrogen production is more economical and accelerates adoption. In addition, the ability to use heat, which is a much lower cost source of energy than electricity, further improves the economics of green hydrogen production.

In another development, the EU Innovation Fund has announced € 88 million funding to Neste’s green hydrogen and CO2 capture & storage project at the Porvoo refinery in Finland. The project is currently in the feasibility phase. The project will strongly contribute to achieving both Finland’s and the EU’s climate targets and will have a significant role in Neste’s target of carbon-neutral production by 2035. The project will cut over 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions at the Porvoo refinery in the first ten years of operation. The EU Innovation Fund is investing over €1.1 billion in seven large-scale innovative projects. Neste will finalise the individual grant agreements with the funding agency in the first quarter of 2022.