US-based Bloom Energy pushes solid oxide edge as India waits on first big hydrogen bet

Time of India

05-05-2025

Mumbai: As India ramps up its green hydrogen ambitions,
NYSE-listed Bloom Energy
is positioning its
solid oxide electrolyzer technology
as a superior, ready-to-deploy option for industrial hydrogen production—especially in heat-intensive sectors such as ammonia, steel, and nuclear.
In an interview with
ETEnergyWorld
, Ravi Prasher, chief technology officer at
Bloom Energy
, said the company's high-temperature solid oxide systems deliver up to 30 per cent higher efficiency compared to conventional proton-exchange membrane (PEM) and alkaline technologies.
'Efficiency will define the economics of hydrogen—not just upfront capex… And in that equation, we come out significantly ahead,' said Prasher.
Bloom, which became the world's largest stationary fuel cell company in 2018, has already begun global commercialiasation of its solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs), aiming to expand into markets where renewable electricity is constrained and industrial heat is abundant.
Why This Matters
India's National Green Hydrogen Mission targets 5 MMT of green hydrogen by 2030, with a major push on electrolyzer deployment. But cost, infrastructure, and demand alignment remain bottlenecks.
'Everyone's waiting for the first major hydrogen project to move from concept to integrated execution—globally. It's not just about making hydrogen; it's about the entire value chain—transport, storage, and off-take,' added Prasher.
He noted that India, with its expensive natural gas and lack of carbon capture options, could benefit significantly from high-efficiency electrolyzers that reduce input energy requirements and integrate with legacy gas infrastructure.
Solid Oxide v/s PEM: What's at Stake
Operating temperature: Bloom's SOECs run at 800°C, versus
Efficiency advantage: ~25–30 per cent lower energy consumption per kilogram of hydrogen.
Catalyst savings: SOECs use nickel instead of rare and costly iridium or platinum.
Industrial integration: Heat generated in ammonia or steelmaking processes can be recycled into the electrolyzer, improving system economics.
While PEM players tout flexibility under fluctuating renewable inputs, Prasher argues that total cost of ownership—and integration with industrial demand—will drive long-term adoption.
India Fit: Ammonia, Steel, and Nuclear
Bloom is targeting specific Indian use cases such as in ammonia plants, where high waste heat can directly power SOECs. In steel mills, where integrated hydrogen could decarbonize blast furnaces. In nuclear facilities, which provide both steam and electricity, aligning well with SOEC needs.
'These are the sectors where our technology's advantages translate immediately into cost savings and higher uptime,' Prasher said.
The company is also participating in
hydrogen blending pilots
, including systems where the firm's fuel cells run seamlessly on hydrogen-natural gas blends without hardware modifications—potentially simplifying infrastructure transitions.
Current Presence and Outlook in India
While the company did not disclose specific investment figures, Prasher confirmed the company already employs over 400 engineers in Mumbai and Bengaluru, with supply chain and project activity underway. Installations include Intel's fuel cell deployment in Bangalore.
'India is a focus market. The question is: Will policy move fast enough to support next-gen energy infrastructure, like it did with solar and batteries?' he said.
The company is also in advanced contract discussions in Europe and Asia, particularly in the ammonia and nuclear sectors.
The Road Ahead
Despite rising interest, Prasher cautioned that global hydrogen deployment remains in a 'pre-commercial' phase, with no full-scale green hydrogen project operational yet.
Still, he expects the firm's next gigawatt of fuel cell and electrolyzer deployments to take less than two years, down from 14 years to reach the first.
He said that this is not about hype cycles anymore, it is about which technology is most ready to scale when real projects finally break ground.