Innovative electrolysis cells for hydrogen production

This topic aims at the development of new and disruptive cell concepts for improving efficiency, lifetime, and hydrogen production processes in the field of water electrolysis, while replacing costly materials on components of the cell and stack. The topic seeks the integration of recent advances in materials science and modern characterisation/fabrication tools, merged into innovative lab scale developments of components of electrolysis cells. The target is to realise at least single cells of TRL 4 and validate all innovative approaches using single cells and short stacks with min. 5 cells.

Proposals should explore more than one of the following innovations: ​

• Alternative pathways to the oxygen evolution reaction by new anode approaches which allow to reduce the anode potential in acidic media;
• Inclusion of redox mediators to separate anode and cathode reactions;
• Use of nano-engineering, bio-hybrid electrocatalyst materials or integrated multi-functional components as innovative strategies to improve cell performances;
• Application/development of catalysts with low overpotential and combined to low-cost elements (e.g. Fe, Ni, steel), bridging a gap to have stable and low-cost production;
• Novel concepts of triple-phase boundary electrodes (catalyst-support-ionomer) with catalyst utilisation close to 100% and improved thermo-mechanical stability;
• Create novel concepts of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with integrated components (Porous Transport Electrodes (PTEs)), simplified and environmentally friendly manufacturing methods;
• Novel cell design to enhance overall cell efficiency by integrating disruptive concepts (e.g. flow fields using new fluid dynamic effects, novel concepts of micro-fluidic and capillary-fed electrolysers, optimised interfaces between cell materials, or innovative stack components designs);
• Optimised thermal management, e.g. avoiding hot spots in the cells as major cause for catalyst and separator degradation;
• Consortia are expected to build on the expertise coming from both research and industrial community to ensure broad impact by addressing several of the aforementioned items.

Development of Solid-oxide or Proton Conductive materials and cells are excluded from the scope of this specific topic.

It is expected to have access to application based as well as manufacturability requirements (through direct participation of a manufacturing company and/or through an advisory board), to foresee a scaling up of the validated solution.

Proposals are expected to collaborate and explore synergies with the projects supported under topics HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2023 -07-02: ‘Increasing the lifetime of electrolyser stacks’ and HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2022-07-01: ‘Addressing the sustainability and criticality of electrolyser and fuel cell materials’.

Applicants are encouraged to address sustainability and circularity aspects in the activities proposed.

Activities developing test protocols and procedures for the performance and durability assessment of electrolysers and fuel cell components proposals should foresee a collaboration mechanism with JRC (see section 2.2.4.3 ""Collaboration with JRC""), in order to support EU-wide harmonisation. Test activities should adopt the already published EU harmonised testing protocols[[https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/knowledge-management/collaboration-jrc-0_en]] to benchmark performance and quantify progress at programme level.

Activities are expected to start at TRL 2 and achieve TRL 4 by the end of the project - see General Annex B.

The JU estimates that an EU contribution of maximum EUR 3.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately.

The conditions related to this topic are provided in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2023 Annual Work Plan and in the General Annexes to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2024 which apply mutatis mutandis.