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AI-Enhanced Sustainable Manufacturing of Composite Bipolar Plates for Cross-sectoral Net-Zero Technologies

Objective

Europe’s climate-neutral transition needs rapid, cost-competitive PEM fuel-cell deployment, yet bipolar plates (BPPs), ~80% of stack weight and 40% of its cost, remain a bottleneck. Current supply depends on imported metallic/graphite plates, exposing EU value chains to risk. Composite BPPs (cBPPs) manufacturing is immature (long cycle times, high scrap rates, fragmented digital control). OEMs demand proven durability, certification-ready quality, and scalable, circular processes for both low- and high-temperature PEMFC.
AIM-PLATES combines advanced forming, shaping with a ZERO-X digital backbone (digital twins, inline QA, adaptive control) under an SSbD framework, demonstrated on two complementary EU TRL7 pilot lines: Pilot 1 - thermoplastic/carbon - ultra-thin, high-performance, remanufacturable plates; Pilot 2 - bio-based thermoset/(graphite + biocarbon) - cost-effective, robust, renewable plates. Both lines target first-time-right, low-carbon manufacturing. Demonstrators in aviation (HT-PEMFC short stack) and road vehicle specifically light commercial vehicles (LT-PEMFC – primary; HT-PEMFC – early-use, short stacks) will prove manufacturability and integration, generate comparative datasets vs. incumbent solutions and de-risk adoption.
The project spans seven work packages covering materials, processes, pilot-line development, the digital backbone, demonstrations, sustainability, standards road-mapping, skills, exploitation & market uptake, delivering new knowledge, validated industrial assets and an exploitation strategy aligned with NZIA, Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, and Made in Europe. By 2030, AIM-PLATES will strengthen EU sovereignty in hydrogen technologies by reducing reliance on imported BPPs and fossil inputs, cutting CO2 per plate by up to 60%, and establishing replication pathways to electrolysers, flow batteries and other net-zero technologies, supporting circular, digitised, resilient value chains and Industry 5.0 skills in the EU.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2025-01

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Coordinator

RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN AB
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 259 563,00
Address
BRINELLGATAN 4
501 15 Boras
Sweden

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Region
Södra Sverige Västsverige Västra Götalands län
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 259 563,75

Participants (15)

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