Two rEMX-150 HotModules delivered to support testing of hydrogen production, power generation and heat integration under real operating conditions.
SolydEra has delivered two fully operational rEMX-150 reversible HotModules to the CIUDEN demonstration facility in Spain, marking a key milestone in a collaboration with Técnicas Reunidas that began in 2025. The project is designed to demonstrate reversible solid oxide technology under real operating conditions, combining high-temperature hydrogen production and power generation within the same technology platform.
The Fundación Ciudad de la Energía (CIUDEN) is a Spanish public-sector foundation, belonging to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, focused on supporting the energy transition and the demonstration of technologies for decarbonisation. The demonstration plant will enable the reversible operation of solid oxide units to be assessed across different conditions, while also supplying compressed hydrogen for use in other activities at the site.
The project is funded by the European Union under NextGeneration EU.
A REVERSIBLE PLATFORM FOR HYDROGEN AND POWER
At the centre of the plant are two of SolydEra's latest rEMX-150 HotModules, designed to operate both as electrolysers for hydrogen production and as fuel cells for power generation. SolydEra is supplying the modules and supporting Técnicas Reunidas with their integration and control. Técnicas Reunidas is engineering and constructing the complete facility, including the reversible solid oxide units, a hydrogen purification and compression unit, and a heat-integration system that prepares the steam required for solid oxide electrolysis using different heat and steam sources available at the CIUDEN facilities.
The plant is designed to explore a broad operating envelope. In electrolysis mode, the system will test operation using electrical power from both the AC grid and a local DC power grid, assess SOE performance under different conditions and support co-electrolysis testing. In fuel cell mode, the rEMX-150 modules will demonstrate power generation using both natural gas and hydrogen. The project will also assess the benefits of high-temperature electrolysis when thermal energy available at the site is used to provide part of the energy required for steam generation, thereby reducing the electrical energy demand of the process.
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“This project brings together hydrogen production, power generation and heat integration within one real demonstration environment. Working closely with Técnicas Reunidas and CIUDEN allows us to validate the flexibility of our reversible technology while building practical knowledge that will support future industrial deployments.” Dr. Alexander Liberov, CEO, SolydEra |
PROJECT MILESTONES AND NEXT STEPS
In July 2026, SolydEra Swiss team successfully tested a module equipped with dummy stacks in the presence of the customer. The unit will support commissioning activities at the CIUDEN site and enabled the teams to validate the system architecture and integration approach ahead of full operation. In August 2026, SolydEra delivered the two complete rEMX-150 units that will be operated at the facility.
The project is now moving into commissioning, followed by operation and exploitation of the demonstration plant. SolydEra will continue to support the integration, control and operation of the HotModules together with Técnicas Reunidas and CIUDEN. The collaboration is also generating valuable operational knowledge for the teams involved and will contribute to the further development and deployment of reversible solid oxide systems for industrial applications.
For SolydEra, the project developed at CIUDEN’s facilities represents a further step in moving reversible solid oxide technology towards real-world industrial deployment, demonstrating how hydrogen production, efficient power generation and thermal integration can be combined within a flexible energy platform.
ABOUT SolydEra:
SolydEra is a leading international player in solid oxide technology, developing and manufacturing cells, stacks, modules and solutions for efficient power generation and hydrogen production. Its technology platform operates in fuel cell, electrolysis and reversible modes, enabling flexible applications across distributed power, industrial energy, data centres, critical infrastructure and hydrogen. SolydEra combines more than two decades of experience with automated manufacturing capabilities and R&D activities in Italy, Switzerland and Australia.
Visit www.solydera.com