Topsoe has inaugurated Europe's largest Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) stack manufacturing facility in Herning, Denmark, with an initial annual capacity of 500 MW for high-efficiency green hydrogen production.
Global technology provider Topsoe has reached a major milestone in the energy transition with the inauguration of its first—and now Europe’s largest—manufacturing facility for Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) stacks. Located in Herning, Denmark, the state-of-the-art factory is set to become a powerhouse for industrial-scale green hydrogen production, a critical element in the global push to decarbonize energy-intensive industries.
The newly opened facility boasts an initial annual capacity of 500 MW of high-efficiency electrolyzers, with flexibility built in for further scaling. This project represents Topsoe’s single biggest investment to date and has received substantial backing, including EUR 94 million from the EU Innovation Fund, underscoring its strategic importance to the European Union's climate objectives.
SOEC technology is distinguished by its unmatched efficiency, which is pivotal for making green hydrogen production economically viable and scalable. Roeland Baan, Chief Executive Officer at Topsoe, emphasized this during the inauguration: "Our SOEC facility will be a game-changer for the energy transition. The technology’s unmatched efficiency is pivotal for scaling green hydrogen production for industrial decarbonization. With this facility, we are moving SOEC technology and Power-to-X from ambition to reality."
The electrolyzer stacks manufactured at the 23,000 square meter Herning plant will be deployed globally, particularly in Europe and the United States, to produce green hydrogen. This hydrogen can then be converted into essential derivatives like ammonia and methanol (e-fuels), which are crucial for cleaning up sectors such as steel, cement, chemicals, and long-distance transportation—industries that collectively account for approximately 30% of global CO2 emissions.
By scaling up this advanced technology, Topsoe projects a massive environmental impact. When fully utilized after ten years, the factory's output could service up to 10 GW of installed capacity at customer sites, potentially enabling the annual reduction of 15 million metric tons of CO2. This is a significant contribution, equivalent to taking nearly 3.5 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
The inauguration, attended by Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, and representatives from key European and Danish organizations, was hailed as a major win for Danish and European cleantech competitiveness.
Topsoe is already translating its manufacturing capacity into real-world projects, having signed significant offtake agreements. These include a partnership with First Ammonia for a green ammonia project in Texas, US, and a deal with Forestal for an e-methanol project in Spain, both supported by a 10-year service warranty program.
