Parameters of a 1 MW PEM Electrolyzer

Input Key Parameter

Rated power of stack (P, MW):

Cathodic catalyst unit price ($ kg^-1):

Loading of cathodic catalyst (mg cm^-2):

Anodic catalyst unit price ($ kg^-1):

Loading of anodic catalyst (mg cm^-2):

Voltage of cell (U_cell, V):

Current density (j_cell, A cm^-2):

Surface area of electrode (A_e, cm²):

Stack lifetime (t, h):

Electricity bill ($ MWh^-1):

*Note:

Certain values are fixed for industrial PEMWE to more accurately assess the scale-up costs:

Rated power of stack = 1, Surface area of electrode = 877, Stack lifetime = 50000, Electricity bill = 20

Cost Calculation

Cost Parameters

Number of cells:

Cathodic catalyst cost ($):

Anodic catalyst cost ($):

Total advanced catalyst cost ($ kW^-1):

Capital costs for stacks (adapt to ≥1 MW) ($ kW^-1):

BoP ($ kW^-1):

Power consumption ($ kW^-1):

Total ($ kW^-1):

Share of catalyst materials in stack (%):

Cost Calculation Formulas

Catalyst cost in electrolyzers:

Number of cell = (Rated power) / (U_cell × j_cell × A_e)
Catalyst unit price (P_cata, $ kg^-1) = (Total price of raw materials) / (Mass of fabricated catalysts)
Cathodic catalyst cost ($) = P_cata × loading × A_e
Anodic catalyst cost ($) = P_cata × loading × A_e
Advanced catalyst cost ($) = Number of cell × ΣCatalyst cost

Power consumption:

Cost of electricity ($) = Rated power × t × electricity bill

Share of the costs in 1MW electrolyzers (Data source: NREL)
		Unit	PEM
Stack in system	Catalyst	$ kW^-1	35
Stack in system	Others: gas diffusion layer, membrane, bipolar plates and flow fields, frames and seals, balance of stack, stack assembly, labor, etc	$ kW^-1	280
BoP in system	Hydrogen-side BoP, electrical BoP, hydrogen processing, thermal management, water supply, piping, instrumentation, and housing	$ kW^-1	575

*Note: this value of cost share (Others in stack) can not be applied to evaluation of AWE cost due to different materials used in AWE, and the cost value of BOP of AWE is also different from it in PEM.

Parameters of a 1 MW PEM Electrolyzer

Input Key Parameter

Cost Calculation

Cost Parameters

Cost Calculation Formulas

Reference Resources