Horizon Europe: Design and industrial deployment of innovative manufacturing processes for fuel cells and fuel cell components

Expected Outcome

Fuel cells offer the highest electrical efficiency for conversion of chemically stored energy. They can significantly contribute to an efficient use of produced hydrogen carriers and to the reduction of overall CO2 emissions. The Clean Hydrogen Joint undertaking has a set a vision to reach for 2030 accumulated fuel cell installed power of >2.5 GW with total production rates >500 MW/year. Cost reductions have been achieved as part of the FCH 2 JU but additional reductions are needed to increase the market penetration of fuel cell solutions. The stacks are still the main cost driver for the fuel cell system, additional cost reductions can be achieved through high quality level and increased automation of stack manufacturing. One of the objectives of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership is to reach stack manufacturing costs (solid oxide) of ≤800 €/kW at annual production volume of single manufacturing line of at least 100 MW.

Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcome:

Cost reduction of fuel cell systems by automation of specific and time-consuming manufacturing steps;

Increased fuel cell systems and component manufacturing capacity of European industry establishment of a European supply chain of specialised solid oxide cells (SOC) manufacturing equipment;

Improved sustainability of the manufacturing processes and products; significantly reduce or reuse waste and lower the energy and carbon footprint.

In addition, project results are expected to contribute to at least one of the following specific (quantified) outcomes:

• Automation of stack assembling and sealing with yield >90%;
• Automation of cell manufacturing with integrated quality control measured and yield >95%;
• High speed interconnect manufacturing and coating within the specification of stack manufacturer;
• Time-efficient and inexpensive quality control procedures suitable for inline inspection.

Project results are expected to directly contribute to all of the following objectives of the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA Pillar 3, Hydrogen End Uses: Clean heat and Power:

• reduction of CAPEX of stationary fuel cells of all sizes and end use applications. The target is to reach stack production cost <800 €/kW at production capacity of 100 MW/year;
• support of development of processes suitable for mass manufacturing.

Deadline: 20 September 2022

More information: Funding and Tenders – Call