KBR report backs Syntholene geothermal hydrogen at $1.75/kg, undercutting fossil SMR

A new independent review from KBR supports Syntholene Energy Corp's claim that its geothermal-integrated solid oxide electrolysis platform can produce clean hydrogen for as low as $1.75 per kilogram in Iceland and around $2.10 per kilogram in broader deployment. That would undercut the European average for unabated fossil hydrogen from steam methane reforming, which sits near $3.80 per kilogram before carbon pricing. The report highlights the role of low-cost geothermal electricity and heat in driving down the levelized cost of hydrogen, which is the main cost component in synthetic aviation fuel production. KBR flagged key risks including electricity price swings, SOEC stack degradation rates, and the need to validate capital and operating costs at Syntholene's demonstration facility in Husavik, Iceland. If the numbers hold up at scale, this approach could change the economics of eSAF and other low-carbon fuels by making clean hydrogen cheaper than fossil hydrogen with carbon capture. The report is a third-party review, not a guarantee, but it puts a concrete cost target on the table for a technology pathway that combines geothermal heat and power with high-temperature electrolysis.