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This paper summarises the results of experimental investigations of a commercial alkaline water electrolyser used for hydrogen production to balance decentralised electricity production from renewables. Experiments have been conducted on an alkaline water electrolyser operating at a pressure range up to 25 bar g and having a maximum production capacity of 15 Nm hydrogen per hour. In stationary conditions, the energy efficiency of an electrolytic cell has been calculated, and the characteristics of the electrolyser stack has been described with an empirical equation. The energy efficiency of the entire system and hydrogen losses within the boundaries of the system have been determined. Experimental results show that the energy efficiency of an electrolytic cell at typical operating conditions ranges between 73 and 83%, and the energy efficiency of the entire system is between 50 and 60%. Hydrogen losses within the boundaries of the system, compared to the total produced amount of hydrogen, are between 10 and 25%, depending of operating conditions.
Mori et al. (Mon,) studied this question.