Manufacturing is a key enabler in building up a sound European technology base for the energy transition, and multiple scientific fields are challenged in transferring concept to mass product. The Joint Workshop qSOFC-Cell3Ditor-EERA explored common approaches through collaboration between two FCH-JU funded projects (qSOFC and Cell3Ditor) and the EERA Joint Programmes for Nuclear Materials and FCH, to assess the manufacturing processes of tomorrow for high-temperature materials. Scientists, entrepreneurs, industry and policy advisors discussed advances in additive manufacturing, industrial process chains, in-line quality assurance and break-through approaches in high-temperature material manufacturing.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) cover a vast number of potential applications in diverse fields: building heat and power, power generation, energy storage and transportation. Industrial manufacturing of SOFC systems is a reality, but volumes are still low and costs are high due to the persistence of manual labour within the fabrication process, multiple sintering steps and high scrap rates.

qSOFC pursues mass-manufacturing by automization of state-of-art processes and automated in-line inspection methodologies for improving the reliability of stack fabrication. Cell3Ditor proposes a multi-material 3D printing technology that is a disruptive innovation of the SOFC stack manufacturing paradigm.

The JP FCH pools experts from across Europe to discuss of technological progress and align research and innovation initiatives in fuel cells and hydrogen science.

The workshop took place on December 11th 2019 at the Royal Continental Hotel in Naples, Italy, and was co-located with the 8th European Fuel Cell Conference. 30 People attended from 17 institutions across Europe and a lively debate ensued on the perspectives for radical change in the energy paradigm that could be brought by advanced manufacturing processes.

For more information, please go to www.qsofc.eu and www.cell3ditor.eu.

For copies of the presentations, please write to stephen.mcphail@enea.it.