Elcogen and Casale Partner to Bring High-Efficiency SOEC to Green Ammonia Production

Elcogen, a top innovator out of Estonia specializing in solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology, has teamed up with the Swiss powerhouse Casale SA, known worldwide for their expertise in ammonia plant design. The two companies have just signed a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join forces. Their goal? To blend Elcogen’s ultra-efficient SOEC systems into Casale’s ammonia production processes, paving the way for clean ammonia made with green hydrogen.

Slashing CO₂ with smarter tech

Right now, traditional ammonia production is a major polluter—it’s responsible for about 1.8% of all global CO₂ emissions. But by replacing fossil-fuel-derived hydrogen with sustainable green hydrogen generated through SOEC technology, that number could drop dramatically. This partnership has the potential to reduce emissions tied to ammonia by as much as 90%.

Why Elcogen’s SOEC stands out

What makes Elcogen’s tech so special? Their SOEC system runs at high temperatures—between 700 and 900°C—and delivers a striking ~85% efficiency rate. That’s a big step up from other electrolysis approaches like PEM or alkaline. On top of that, Elcogen uses nickel-based catalysts, which dodges the headaches caused by relying on rare and pricey platinum-group metals. It’s a smarter, more scalable solution from both a performance and supply chain point of view.

Big name, big impact

Casale is no small player either—they’re involved in around 12% of the world’s total ammonia production capacity. With their deep know-how and experience in scaling and optimizing industrial processes, plugging SOEC tech into Casale’s existing systems isn’t just a green move—it also makes solid business sense.

Pushing Europe’s decarbonization vision forward

This collaboration feeds directly into the European Union’s bigger ambitions for industrial decarbonization and net-zero targets. It’s also a strong boost for Europe’s competitive edge in the global Power-to-X and green hydrogen markets. Still, challenges like scaling up SOEC production and ensuring a steady, industrial-scale supply of renewable power are hurdles that need clearing.

But with two heavyweights like Elcogen and Casale in the ring, this could be a major leap toward cleaner chemicals and a greener industrial future.