ExpectedOutcome:
The huge leap expected in the evolution of water electrolyser technology can be performed only by reaching significant technical and economic targets. The European Hydrogen strategy targets 6 GW installed electrolyser capacity by 2024 ramping up to 40 GW electrolyser capacity by 2030. To achieve such targets, both products and production processes should undergo a significant enhancement, by means of strong cost reduction program, as well as improved automation and technologies. Such upgrades can be applied to the several steps of manufacturing, starting from the single electrolyser cell to the stack assembly. Therefore, it is necessary that the whole manufacturing chain is involved in this cost reduction/performance improvement of the electrolyser stacks required to produce enough renewable hydrogen to fulfil the EU targets, similarly to the on-going manufacturing development of fuel cells (e.g. slot die coating for Catalyst Coated Membrane, plasma spray, roll-to-roll coaters).
The project should aim to find the best compromise between CAPEX and OPEX[1] costs to minimise the cost of produced hydrogen, also considering the output pressure.
At the end of the project the achievement of the target figures described in detail above should be demonstrated. The outcome should be a novel component(s) or manufacturing process(es) integrated in a demonstrator stack. The scalability of the final demonstrator and the cost targets of hydrogen should be clearly proven with a business plan.
Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:
To address the above-mentioned cost system targets, the project is focusing on stack/components manufacturing and should at least reach the 2024 KPIs stack targets (degradation, current density, limited use of Critical Raw Materials) included in the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following objectives of the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA as summarised below.
European R&D institutions and hydrogen-related companies should join their efforts to reach the following targets provided by the system costs Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which have been set for all the major electrolysis processes (Alkaline Electrolysis (AEL), Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis (PEMEL), Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOEL), Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysis (AEMEL):
Proposals should aim to significant and innovative improvements of the manufacturing processes to achieve the expected KPI targets. The changes can involve both the manufacturing of components of the single unit (e.g. innovative materials and processes) and the assembly of a whole stack (e.g. automation). Integrated quality control and monitoring systems are also included.
The following items are in scope of this topic and should lead to cost reduction and cell/stack reliability improvement. Scalability should be considered for each of the research paths to be followed in the project. The project should consider the re-use and recycling of the electrolysers and their components at their end of life. Proposals should address at least 3 of the topics below:
Consortia should include at least one electrolyser OEM, one actor from the manufacturing sector and at least one SME.
Consortia are encouraged to consider some of the best practices from the fuel cell manufacturing sector not yet adopted in the electrolyser manufacturing and that could be beneficial to it. In addition, consortia are encouraged to explore synergies and cooperation with Made in Europe partnership (Cluster 7).
Proposals are expected to address sustainability and circularity aspects. In particular, circularity and sustainability by design concepts should be holistically considered towards the whole technology chain.
Activities are expected to start at MRL 4 and achieve MRL 5 by the end of the project.
The conditions related to this topic are provided in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2022 Annual Work Plan and in the General Annexes to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021–2022 which apply mutatis mutandis.
[1]O&M costs