Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint
Undertaking (FCH 2 JU)
Work Plan 2016 – Part I
Operations
Topic Descriptions
TRANSPORT PILLAR
FCH-01.1-2016: Manufacturing technologies for PEMFC components and stacks
Specific challenge:
Even though the development of PEMFC components and stacks for transport applications have
reached a mature level in which the operational performance specifications are met, certain
aspects like manufacturability, production efficiency and production cost (alternative: production
processes, capacity and economy) do not reach the targets. To enable a cost efficient production
and thereby marketable products in the transport sector it is of paramount importance to address
manufacturing and production issues. This will allow for PEMFC technology to be developed
and utilized to its full potential. As the current approach is typically driven by technology but not
by process automation this is a change in paradigm.
The objective is to take advantage of technical improvements and scale effects caused by
automation on one hand and on the other hand make use of existing mass production experience
of the automotive industry in order to finally meet the cost targets.
Scope:
This topic is intended to include process automation development and validation for an integrated
stack production including the production of all stack components. The overall process chain
shall be considered covering the complete value chain including the development of online nondestructive control tools in order to reduce the amount of defected components and reduce the
production cost by increasing the production yield. Potential project proposals should have the
main focus on the development of manufacturing technologies for PEMFC components and
stacks. The topic is not intended to cover basic research on new materials or on fundamentally
new cell and stack designs. Project proposals are expected to cover top-level objectives such as:
- Improvement, modification or adaptation of existing manufacturing methods to increase
manufacturing yield and reduce product variation and manufacturing cost
- Validation of existing manufacturing methods to increase robustness, manufacturing yield
and reduce product variation and manufacturing cost
- Integration of single machines in to a production system
- Integration of online non-destructive quality control tools
- Testing and validation of critical manufacturing sub-processes (low yield/high cost)
- Design to manufacture adaptation
- QA strategies relevant for the automotive sector compatible with ISO/TS 16949
Expected impact: Expected impacts of the project include:
-
-
Achieve the level of manufacturing technology readiness enabling economies of scale
Upgrade capacity of stack production from few 100 stacks per year up to more than
20.000 stacks per year at a power range from 100 MW per year to more than 1 GW per
year
Achieve MEA production at 10m²/min per 1 M€ of investment
Achieve components yields > 95%
Cost reductions compatible with the target of 100 €/kW at system level at a production
volume 50 000 by 2020
Other Information:
The TRL at commencement for stack and stack components must be at a minimum of TRL 6 or
preferably at TRL 7, for stack manufacturing and assembly must be at a minimum of TRL5 or
preferably 6 and for QA methods must be at a minimum of TRL 4 or preferably at TRL 5.
TRL at end: 7-8
Consortium must include at least one automotive OEM and one or more stack component
supplier(s), stack developer and manufacturer with existing cell/stack design and a partner
specialized in manufacturing automation and production systems. It may include research
institutes. The manufacturer must have experience in high standard and high volume automotive
business.
Indicative funding:
The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 8 million
would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not
preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 4 years
Type of action: Research & Innovation Action
FCH-01.2-2016: Standardization of components for cost-efficient fuel cell systems for
transportation applications
Specific challenge:
Fuel cell system technology has already demonstrated its maturity for automotive application, but
still does not meet the cost requirements for a broad market introduction. The reasons are
proprietary system architectures and component concepts, low volume and lack of a competitive
chain of suppliers. Therefore a standardization of interfaces and Balance of Plant components
may be an efficient path to reduce cost and consequently accelerate market introduction of
automotive fuel cell technology including qualification of a capable supplier base.
Whereas standardization of refuelling infrastructure is approaching maturity, on the fuel cell
system component level the variance is still very high and needs more alignment. Each
manufacturer of a fuel cell system develops and uses its own components and interfaces, mainly
based on proprietary requirements, whereas the similarity of requirements appears to be
potentially high (e.g. compare with “Auto Stack” specification). Components suitable for OEMwide standardization include air supply, fuel supply, valves, sensors, cooling, water management,
DC/DC converters, current connectors, etc. In addition, some of these components affect safety
classification of fuel cell systems and must be qualified and tested in order to comply with
Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL1) standards. In contrast, differentiation between OEMs
is expected to focus on fuel cell system architecture, fuel cell stack and system controls and
therefore, these components should not be the focus of the targeted standardisation.
Current RCS are particularly based on manufacturing specification and should be simplified and
adapted to performance oriented specifications. Furthermore, due to reduced variance of every
standardized component, the effort for certification will be reduced, which allows for an
additional cost reduction.
Scope:
The objectives of this action are to:

identify and select components or subsystems suitable for standardization (of TRL 6 and
higher)

differentiate between power-class-dependent and power-class-independent components

benchmark concepts of components and subsystems respectively in conjunction with their
operating range and higher

align specifications and interfaces for each component and subsystem, respectively

define and agree on standardized verification, validation and qualification test protocols

select, modify and adapt components complying with the agreed specifications

generate inputs for further development of advanced fuel cell system components in order
to fulfil broader requirements of OEMs

transfer of proposals for standardized Balance-of-Plant-components to industry codes &
standards and regulations

assess socio-economic aspects for verification of cost savings upon standardization
1
ASIL is a risk classification scheme defined by the ISO 26262 - Functional Safety for Road Vehicles standard
Expected impact:
A standardization of Balance-of-Plant components is expected to lead to aligned common
interfaces and specifications and will enable higher production volumes for such components,
accelerating development of a competitive supplier market, which in turn will enable cost
reduction and facilitate commercialisation. The expected impact is:

Identification of components and subsystems suitable for standardization

Classification of components / subsystems according to their power dependence
/independence

Down-selection of components and subsystems to be addressed in this specific project

Definition and validation of accelerated test protocols for selected components

Alignment of specifications and interfaces for selected components and subsystems

Development of the standardized components, construction, characterisation and testing
according to automotive standards.

Documentation of how standardization may reduce PEMFC system cost

Provision of a capable supply chain of BoP-components in Europe

Dissemination of recommendations for aligned specifications and interfaces and a
Whitepaper for RCS to reduce certification efforts
Other Information:
The consortium must include at least two automotive OEMs, fuel cell system integrators, and
relevant suppliers to the automotive industry capable of fulfilling automotive standards. Research
institutions and academic groups may also be included. International cooperation is
recommended.
Projects should build upon knowledge and experience from relevant previously funded FCH JU
projects. A liaison with the currently running and relevant projects should be set up.
As a basic principle the project team may consider sharing the outcome of this project across
applications if appropriate.
The activities are expected to be implemented at TRL 6 and higher (please see part D of the
General Annexes).
Indicative funding:
The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 4 million
each would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does
not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 3-4 years
Type of action: Research & Innovation Action
FCH-01.3-2016: System Manufacturing technologies and quality assurance
Specific Challenge
Currently most fuel cell stacks/ systems and their key components are produced in small
quantities, often with considerable manual input and high cost. In order to achieve cost levels
allowing for mass deployment, fuel cell stacks/ systems need further significant cost reductions in
several areas like development, manufacturing, tooling and assembling. The currently still low
production volumes – sometimes on a prototype level – do not allow the identification,
improvement and validation of all factors that influence the robustness and yield of the
manufacturing processes at a stack and system level. The production of stacks, especially, is very
time consuming, requires complex tooling, expensive materials and is currently not entirely cost
effective. Therefore high entry barriers exist for component producers; the core components are
currently niche products with high complexity to produce and there is little at-scale
manufacturing experience in the industry. Without managing these challenges, the mass market
diffusion of fuel cell systems, whatever the final purpose is: mobile or stationary, is a daunting
task.
Scope
The objective of the proposed project is to enable established PEM fuel cell OEMs and
component suppliers in the fuel cell industry to implement technologies enabling the step-up
from small scale production towards higher volumes which will result in the reduced CAPEX of
PEM fuel cell technologies. The aim of this proposal is also to develop standard components
along with simpler tooling/ manufacturing technologies, making it easier for other players to
enter the PEM FC component industry, thus expanding the component supplier base.
The scope of this project is to focus on improving the production process and scaled production
of stacks and system components keeping in mind that the results of this call should not only
include a reduction in component costs but also lead to innovative solutions that will help
develop an expanded and reliable component producer base.
Applicants should focus on developing better manufacturing technologies and quality assurance
of either stack components or system components. However, this does not preclude proposals
that attempt to tackle both issues.
For stack components: Stacks consisting of bipolar plates, MEAs, flow field plates, GDL should
become part of an optimized production processes for mass manufacturing
For system components: System components including compressors, heat exchangers, reformers,
converters, inverters, post-combustors, actuators and sensors should be the focus here
Expected Impact
Specific issues to be addressed
 Development of state of the art PEM stack and system manufacturing technologies,
production processes, equipment and tools with significant impact on component
manufacturing costs



Potential cost reduction of key components to achieve overall system CAPEX of less than
7,500 €/kW for systems of 100 - 400 kW
Demonstrate the potential for component cost reduction by 25% and reduced time to
market by up to 30% once mass production is reached
Automated assembly, shortened cycle times, continuous production and lean
manufacturing with little waste

Increased manufacturing capacity by elimination of slow processes and automation of
highly manual intensive processing steps

Securing quality by adapted standardized testing methods for fuel cell components
Issues to be addressed optionally:
 Development of production processes with fewer steps, more tolerant to varying quality
of raw materials/ lower cost materials
 Use of 3D-Printing technology to understand possibilities for small scale applications – in
the case of stack production
 Proposals can aim to develop industry-wide standards for fuel cell components since it is
important to promote a wider supplier/ manufacturer base to drive down costs
 Demonstrate potential for cost reduction of at least 50%, compared to state of the art, once
mass production is achieved
 Identify the main obstacles regarding mass production by using well know methods (e.g.
Ishikawa, Six Sigma)
 Elaborate the economic impact e.g. to create jobs in Europe or impact on the Gross
Domestic Product
Indicative funding:
The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 4 million
each would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does
not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 3-4 years
Type of action: Research & Innovation Action
TRL at start: 4
TRL at finish: 6
FCH-01.4-2016: Next generation PEMFC systems and system components with longer
durability
Specific challenge:
Typical PEMFC systems still face important challenges before mass production in transportation
may be realised, namely cost, reliability and durability. Some of these challenges can be tackled
improving the system components as well as by introducing novel system configurations and
designs.
While the technical feasibility and reliability has been demonstrated in several configurations, a
major challenge remains on the high cost of these solutions due to low production volumes, the
use of expensive materials and designs not suitable for automated manufacturing. Moreover, the
supply chain for some components is still not in place.
Some of the specific outstanding issues concern the freeze start that is still too slow and not
reliable for low cost stacks and the water management at low temperatures and subsequent freeze
preparation. Some failure modes for key components such as compressor air bearings have still to
be resolved. Packaging in combination with cost effective solutions remain an issue in view of
future integration in mass production of the automotive industry.
In addition, the fuel cell system, power degradation is still too high, caused by events such as
start-up/shut-down, fuel starvation and potential cycling. With novel system architecture and
component designs, the FC degradation can be reduced to levels equivalent to incumbent
technologies.
Whereas most of the above mentioned challenges are currently adequately addressed in previous
and currently running FCH JU projects, system durability remains a key challenge as system
lifetime targets of the MAWP are increasing considerably (by 40 %) between 2017 and 2023 to
7000 hours.
Currently, active projects such as Stack-test and Auto-Stack CORE have revealed that a more
detailed understanding of degradation phenomena observed under dynamic load cycling is
required. It is observed that cell and stack degradation can be separated into reversible and
irreversible contributions. Furthermore, upon application of steep load transients, significant CO2
release from both, anode and cathode compartment of PEM fuel cells has been observed
indicating electrode corrosion effects.
Scope:
The project should focus on longer durability of PEMFCs for automotive applications (passenger
cars and busses). By addressing and increasing the understanding degradation phenomena under
dynamic load conditions the project shall allow for a consistent definition of degradation rates for
PEMFCs at stack level. It should address the following objectives:
 Identify the root causes of the degradation phenomena observed in a systematic manner
 Define and validate commonly accepted test procedures using state of the art diagnostic
methods to account for degradation effects of electrodes, electrolytes etc.
 Define commonly accepted test hardware to carry out degradation tests at cell and stack
level.
 Correlate results from accelerated stress tests with experiments applying no acceleration
factors.



Provide evidence of the main impact and side effects of accelerating conditions.
Provide support by modelling work to allow lifetime prediction.
Provide a publicly accessible data base for degradation experiments under controlled
conditions using cell and stack hardware relevant for automotive applications.
The project must address the following key issues:
 Novel system prototypes that eliminate or reduce issues currently experienced with
PEMFC systems such as voltage cycling, SU/SD corrosion which leads to increased
degradation
 Freeze start design and system component layout to minimize water pooling and
consequent ice blockages and reduction of thermal mass to enable faster start up at subzero temperatures
To ensure the usefulness of the results for the automotive industry, the following methodologies
are required:
 Automotive development methods, design to cost, reliability and robustness methods
 Detailed component level simulation for analysis and optimization (e.g. of multiphase
transport and phase transition processes including multi-component diffusion and mixing
phenomena of humidifiers etc.)
 Sub-system and system level simulation for component specification and assessment of
overall performance of different component configurations
 Automated-/hardware-in-the-loop-/accelerated testing methods
Expected impact:
By addressing novel design and key factors limiting system lifetime the project is expected to
provide
 Enhanced understanding of degradation mechanisms at single cell and stack level.
 Significantly reduce the cost of lifetime testing through establishing reliable and validated
accelerated test protocols at stacks level.
 A data base for lifetime modelling of PEM fuel cells for transport applications.
 Allow users to transfer test results obtained from the commonly accepted test procedures
for dynamic load cycling to real operation situations encountered in the field.
The following KPIs are expected to be reached at the FC system level in compliance with the
MAWP:
o FC system production cost: 100 €/kW at 50 000 units/year production rate (2020)
o Maximum power degradation of 10% after 6000 h for passenger cars (2020)
Other information:
TRL at start: 4
TRL at end: 6
The consortium must include at least one automotive OEM and research organizations.
Participation of component manufacturers is encouraged. To be eligible for participation a
consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the Industry or Research Grouping.
Indicative funding: The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless,
this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 3-4 years
Type of action: Research & Innovation Action
FCH-01.5-2016: Develop new complementary technologies for achieving competitive solutions
for Marine, Rail and Air applications at an economic scale of implementation
Specific challenge
Fuel Cell technology is a solution able to address the question of power train electrification in the
domains of marine & train propulsion and aeronautic applications. These markets represent high
possibilities for reducing energy consumption and emissions, because unlike individual cars and
small land based vehicles the source of emissions is not as dispersed in these industries i.e.
significant energy/ emission savings can be achieved by replacing a single conventional
powertrain on a large ship, train or airplane.
However, despite all the potential benefits, existing FCH components face application specific
challenges that need to be addressed in order to drive large scale adoption in these sectors and
hence require additional research efforts and development to achieve competitiveness with
conventional technologies.
Scope
The scope of this call is to promote the manufacturing of better FCH components. The project
should focus on developing improved industrialization-ready system component designs for high
efficiency and low cost Balance-of-Plant (BoP), while keeping in mind that these components
have to be designed according to the specific needs of the application (marine, rail or air)
Proposals focusing on stack components, for example improvements of Membrane-Electrode
Assembly components, bipolar-plates, etc. are also within the scope of this call, if they help
overcome specific challenges faced by integrating FCH technology in marine, rail or air sectors.
The FC stack is also within the scope to be funded, although it is not the focus of the innovation.
The FC stack is required to demonstrate the system level performance and may therefore be
adapted from existing technology. Actual integration into a pre-existing vehicle is not within the
scope of this call; applicants should verify results using accurate test benches.
The proposal needs to address only ONE of the listed sectors mentioned in the call title; however
this does not preclude applications that address more than one.
Expected Impact
The project must consider the following key factors that affect marine, rail and air:
 Develop system components (including but not limited to compressor, humidifier,
intercooler, valves, and turbine/expander, etc.) that are specifically designed to respect the
constraints of each application (marine, rail, air)
 Demonstrate significant improvement of the complete powertrain efficiency and stack
lifetime due to integration of improved fuel cell components
 Validation of the results using appropriate test benches with operating conditions
simulating real - world applications
 FC components must conform to the specific safety requirements of each industry
Listed below are some challenges that are specific to each application. This is not an exhaustive
list; instead applicants are required to identify the relevant issues that need to be overcome in
order to make a fuel cell solution feasible in each sector.
Maritime sector
 Power range 50 – 200 kW
 Ambient environment conditions related to fresh water or salt water applications
 Ability of the system to withstand the shocks, vibrations, and ship motions commonly
encountered on water
Railway sector
 High power demands of locomotives (200 – 400kW range)
 Specific load cycles and voltages
 The long lifetime of trains requires a fuel cell solution that can effectively operate over
many years without major overhauls
Aerospace sector
Unlike in the marine and rail sector, FCH integration with airplanes requires a considerable
amount of R&D and re-engineering of aircraft, including but not limited to higher system power
density, power to weight ratio, limitations of heavy fuel storage tanks, etc.
Since reengineering of an aircraft to accommodate prototype fuel cells and heavy fuel tanks is
beyond the scope of this call, we suggest a greater focus on marine and rail FCH solutions where
adoption can be achieved sooner, with this technology potentially being able to breakout and
move into other segments.
Optionally the project can also address the following issues:
 Demonstrate that the system and component lifetime will eventually allow for reasonable
return on investment in each industry and make mass commercialization an attractive
option
 In the case of a hybrid solution, advanced hybrid operating strategies that offer the most
cost effective and energy efficient power train solutions
Indicative funding:
6 million € total – 2 million € for marine; 4 million € for rail
The different budgets represent the specific challenges of each sector; specifically power ranges
Number of projects:
1 each for marine and rail
Expected duration:
3 - 4 years
Type of action:
Research and Innovation
TRL start: 3
TRL end: 5
FCH-01.6-2016: Improvement of Compressed Storage Systems and related manufacturing
processes in the perspective of automotive mass production
This topic has not yet been agreed with industry and might be changed significantly or
withdrawn
Specific challenge
Today’s onboard hydrogen storage systems for fuel cell powered vehicles do not yet meet
automotive cost targets for a broader market introduction. This is mainly due to carbon fiber
costs, conventional manufacturing processes not developed for high productivity and architecture
concepts that are not compatible with mass production.
Thus, a joint development on several key aspects is needed for hydrogen storage systems to meet
cost targets:
 Alternative and cost efficient solutions for mechanical reinforcement,
 Architecture optimization to maintain safety standards and size constraints while
decreasing cost.
 A breakthrough in the field of COPV manufacturing in order to foster the industrial
and large production of such systems.
Furthermore, durability issues are still experienced at several hydrogen refueling stations
operating at real -40°C for fast filling regarding on-board compressed storage, even for certified
vessels.
In addition, in situ integration of low cost non-destructive testing procedures for tank integrity
assessment is also necessary and should be included in procedures for post- accident control and
assurance.
Scope
 Development and assessment of COPV innovative manufacturing processes for very large
production capacity (objective to decrease by factor 3 the production time)
 Development of a cost-reduction strategy (increased materials efficiency, weight
reduction, manufacturing optimization, cost-efficient storage geometries/designs...)
 Development of new polymers for liners consistent with high speed 700 bar H2 filling at
real -40°C HRS and resistant to higher temperatures during tank filling
 Improve filling and venting tolerance (e.g. enhanced materials and multi-material
assembling strategy to increase mechanical and temperature tolerance (e.g. - 60, +100⁰C).
 Integration of Non-Destructive Control tool during tank production for quality and
integrity diagnostic through the whole life of the COPV (i.e. optical fibre)
 Development and validation of numerical tools (probabilistic models) to optimize
cylinder performance and durability and reduce cost and manufacturing discrepancies
 Provide input to revised regulation codes and standards for storage tanks for compressed
hydrogen.
Expected impact
 Decrease 70MPa COPV manufacturing time by factor 3
 Improve filling /venting tolerance of storage systems (to be quantified)


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Demonstrate cost and performance of an embedded NDT system
Develop the probabilistic modelling approach and define the ultimate weight/cost savings
achievable with conventional COPV and/or novel architecture strategies
Whitepapers for RCS and/or maintenance guidance
Proposals should build upon experience from previously funded projects at national or European
lev el.
Other information:
TRL begin: 4
TRL end: 6
To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry or Research Grouping. The consortium should also include at least one vessel supplier
and an OEM.
Indicative funding: The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 5 million would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless,
this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic
Expected duration: 3-4 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-01.7-2016: Large Scale Validation of fuel cell bus fleets and/or fuel cell mid-range
trucks for goods delivery in urban areas and related infrastructure
The present Topic deals with the large scale validation of two different transport applications
i.e. fuel cell buses and fuel cell mid-range trucks for goods delivery in urban areas. For sake of
clarity, each one of the following sections, “Specific challenge”, “Scope”, “Expected impact”
and “Other information”, covers separately both applications. The topic allows project
consortia to either integrate both bus and truck applications in one project or two to focus on
one of the two applications. Projects covering both application are preferred provided that the
combination of the two different applications is done in a way that leads to an added value.
Specific challenge:
Specific challenge : Bus Application
The urban bus application has been identified as a priority value application for fuel cells and
hydrogen, for a number of reasons: a political agenda supporting a shift from individual to
public transport; urban buses being purchased by public entities having to meet stringent CO2
and exhaust (CO, NOx, PM) as well as noise reduction objectives; hydrogen allows for the use
of both renewable energy as well as dramatic well to wheel emission reductions which are a
must in the future urban traffic electrification plans in the EU. It is the only zero emission
technology which allows for complete operational flexibility.
Earlier EU programmes (CHIC, High VLOCity, HyTransit and 3EMotion) have shown a 75%
price reduction of the bus since 1990 with volumes remaining small, opening up different
pathways to full commercialisation as of 2020.
To achieve this objective, the commercialisation study, conducted by Roland Berger Strategy
Consulting contracted by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking recommends that a
first step change that needs to be made is through :
 an increase of volume by aggregating number of about 100 units
 increased number of vehicles serviced per station
 a coalition of cross the board cities and regions forming regional clusters throughout the
EU member states, who are committed to deploying the technology in the H2020 time
frame.
 joint procurement as modern investment tool shall be applied to improve terms &
conditions for operators and stability of supply for producers
Commitments thereto have been made jointly by the supply side in November 2014 (5 bus
OEM’s) and by the demand side (30+ bus operators) in June 2015. Five bus OEM’s are
developing next generation bus models to show the cost down potential and take the technology
from a current TRL 6/7 (demos) to TRL 8/9 (semi and full commercialisation) level from now
through the end of Horizon 2020. A coalition of cities signed and hand over a Letter of
Understanding to EU Commissioner during the TEN-T days event in Riga on June 22/23 2015,
indicating their intentions to operate larger fleet of fuel cell buses.
The purpose of this bus demonstration program is therefore a committed coalition that can
achieve the aggregate volume and a demonstration scale that is necessary to meet further cost
down expectations required for a full commercialisation of fuel cell bus technology and the
associated infrastructure by 2020. For fuel cell buses to deliver the mentioned benefits it is
crucial to bring down the purchasing costs of the vehicles which can pre-dominantly achieved
by scaling-up production. FC bus manufacturers have indicated that a cumulative production
volume of 500 to 1000 buses is required for full commercial roll-out. This is a challenge both in
terms of acquisition of the buses (large enough numbers to reduce costs) and their operation,
and also the HRSs needed for such yield of hydrogen and its supply.
Specific challenge: Mid-Range Truck Application
Road freight is among the fastest-growing contributors to the increase of CO2 emissions in the
European transport sector.
Due to the growth of transport volumes in the European Union in particular of road freight
volumes, CO2 emissions for this sector will rise nearly 25% by 2050. This trend must be
reversed if the European Union wants to attain in 2050 its total CO2 emissions reduction target
of 80% (relative to 1990 levels).
Though a drastic reduction of emissions in the road freight sector is needed to meet long term
climate and GHG emission goals, yet policies focusing on zero or low emission trucks are less
developed than those dealing with high fuel efficiency and low CO2 emission cars and buses.
This despite the fact that local pollution in urban areas and city centers arising from trucks
(mainly diesel) is becoming a growing concern for an increasing number people and public
authorities. In city centers, trucks have been identified as major contributors of noise and
pollution due to their significant tail pipe exhausts (CO, NOx, PM, HC) and nowadays many
big European cities limit the access of this type of heavy duty-vehicles to urban areas.
New and more sustainable solutions are awaited by local authorities, in particular new ways to
organize urban logistics and to foster the deployment of innovative clean heavy-duty vehicles.
Clean heavy-duty road transportation solutions often rely on the utilization of biofuels.
However, alternative low carbon truck technologies will be probably needed due to the
uncertainties about the sustainability of biofuels in particular about the impact that their
widespread utilization may have on the land-use for traditional farming and food industry.
Clean trucks have also been developed using hybrid solutions. This technology has reduced
noise as well as truck consumption and, as a consequence, has led to lower CO2 emissions.
The development of hybrid technology has contributed to introduce electric powertrain parts in
trucks, even if their main power source still remain the internal combustion engine.
In the same time, first prototypes of “all electric” trucks, based on batteries, were evaluated in
Europe. The main feedback of these evaluations was a largely insufficient driving range.
Fuel Cell technologies may dramatically improve the driving range of these vehicle and give
them the operational attributes necessary to replace diesel trucks. A fuel cell truck should have
the same daily operation behavior of its diesel version.
The purpose of this large scale trucks demonstration program is to develop and to asses in a real
operational environment, the performances and the reliability of several fuel cell mid-range
trucks used to deliver goods in city centers.
Scope:
Scope : Bus Program
This topic calls for the deployment and demonstration of larger scale FC bus fleets. The project
will cover the roll-out of a set of fleets amounting to at least 100 FC buses consisting of at least
25 FC buses per depot and being in line with the FCH JU’s bus commercialisation roadmap in
Europe until 2020. In order to allow further cities to trial and demonstrate this innovative
technology some sites with smaller fleets will be accepted given they demonstrate the
commitment to, in case of successful trial, to expand the fleet after the project.
Therefore a minimum of 4 sites with >25 buses (tier 1 operators) and an optional 2 sites with at
least 5 buses is expected under this call. The project will serve to analyse the operation of large
fleets of buses, including the purchasing mechanisms.
FC buses
The FC buses generation deployed in this project shall at least been tested in prior projects (EU
& non-EU, minor system changes to improve availability are acceptable) in order to assure a
reliable operation of the bus fleets leveraging existing experience and leading to more operating
uptime subsequently.
For buses it should be 36 months in operational service at minimum 10h/day (unless regulatory
restrictions prohibit 10h) or 100,000 km. The minimum operational period for busess
introduced in the last 15 months of the project is 12 months or 50,000 km, though in all cases
arrangements for extending operation after the end of the project are expected.
HRS (for bus program)This topic focuses on the demonstration of larger hydrogen refuelling
station for large bus fleets based on previous engineering research projects (min. > 25 buses
and 500 kg refuelling capacity per day). The challenge is to maintain high levels of station
availability, identify the right level of system redundancy and ensure fuel availability during the
entire year.
The location that begin testing fuel cell buses at a smaller scale, a pathway towards larger fuel
cell bus fleets (>50) needs to be provided as a result of the project.
Projects and cities with a clear strategic goal to increase their hydrogen bus fleet and projects
with a higher buses/station ratio will have priority as the impact for the commercialisation
roadmap will be bigger. Public access to these stations is not compulsory but could be judged
positively in order to help the roll-out of other FC vehicles.
Overall (bus program)
Beyond demonstration of the technology the participating cities shall highly professional
communication of their efforts to partner cities/regions in Europe and beyond and use
appropriate forums to share their experience within the project (e.g. UITP meeting/city
conferences etc.)
Scope : Mid-Range Trucks Program
This topic also calls for the deployment and demonstration of large scale FC mid-range truck
fleets. The proposed program should cover the manufacturing, deployment and evaluation by
real end-users in a real operating environment of a series of at most 10 mid-range trucks and the
related infrastructure. The trucks should be deployed in one or maximum two major European
Cities willing to improve their urban logistics via the utilization of innovative transportation
solutions.
FC trucks
The fuel cell truck should be derived from a hybrid platform to limit the risks linked to the
electrification of the whole power train and the integration of the fuel cell system.
The trucks should be designed to meet end-users’ needs and the behavioral features of the
conventional trucks usually circulating in the Cities hosting the project.
The Cities shall ensure a high involvement in promoting these technologies, and in particular,
facilitating the deployment and the exploitation of the new mid-range trucks.
A maximum funding of 3500 € per kW of installed FC (max 200 kW FC/truck, excluding onsite production equipment should be proposed if the vehicles are deployed within the two .first
years after project start. Vehicles which are deployed later will be funded with a maximum
funding of 1800 €/kW installed FC (max 200 kW)
HRS (trucks program)
In case of the truck application , the program should also include the demonstration of larger
hydrogen refuelling station for mid-range truck fleets based on previous engineering research
projects in the area of buses (up to 500 kg refuelling capacity per day at 350 bar).
The challenge is to maintain high levels of station availability, identify the right level of system
redundancy and ensure fuel availability during the entire year.
Overall (trucks program)
Beyond demonstration of the technology the participating Cities shall ensure the
communication of their efforts to other Cities/regions in Europe and beyond and use
appropriate forums to share their experience within the project.
Expected impact:
Expected impact : Bus Program
FC buses
The buses deployed within the project should have a high-level of standardization and
learning from previous projects shall reflect significantly in the availability of the buses. The
buses are considered to be close to commercial readiness from both a technical maturity and
an economic perspective.
Targets for buses:

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Maximum funding: 3500,- €/kW installed FC system if the vehicles are deployed
within the first two years after project start, 1800/750 €/kW2 if the vehicles are
deployed after two years.
Maximum price (for the customer): 650,000€ for a standard bus2 and 850,000€ for
articulated buses
>20,000h / 2 x 10,000h3 vehicle operation lifetime initially, minimum 25,000h lifetime
as program target
The key energy source of vehicles must be hydrogen in a fuel cell dominated or range
extender architecture
Fuel cell system MTBF >2,500 km
Availability >90% (to be measured in available operation time)
Tank-to-wheel efficiency >42%, for buses measured in the SORT 1 & 2 drive cycles.
Series production ability has to be shown
For buses, the funding per vehicle cannot exceed 200.000 € per standard bus (12/13.5 m) and
250.000 € per articulated bus (>18m)
HRS (bus program)
HRS are expected to comply with the following requirements:
 HRS are to be designed to allow for supply of at least 25 buses for cost effective HRS
operation.
 A target availability of the station of 95% (measured in usable operation time of the
station providing redundancy for service and maintenance) should be adopted
2
Basic 12m low entry, class 1 city bus, with 2 doors, airconditoning, min. 30 seats, traction batteries for operation on
flat terrain, all IT equipment (except destination signs) delivered by the operator, manually operated ramp, delivered
ex-factory OEM. Extra for special equipment excluded.
3
Depending whether the bus system will be composed by one larger bus fuel cell stack or two passenger car stacks,
respectively, and hence will have to be replaced once during the lifetime targeted


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Inclusion of the HRS designs developed under earlier programmes (including the 2014
call) to show integration of concept and cost down potential of hydrogen production
and storage for larger fleets as well as the potential to scale up capacity.
The cost of dispensed hydrogen offered in the project needs to be consistent with the
national or regional strategy on hydrogen pricing. Cost improvements due to increased
hydrogen production capacity and especially higher utilization rates of the HRS is
anticipated in the course of the project (target at the pump < 9 €/kg excl. taxes)
Hydrogen purity has to be at least 99.999 %.
An average maximum funding per HRS is 1,000,000 €, excluding on-site production
equipment.
Overall (bus program)
The proposal should identify:


Lessons learnt from implementing and operating large hydrogen bus fleets for
follower cities
Quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the impact of the technology on public health
and urban living (e.g. comparison against incumbent technology, in situ measurement
etc.)
Professional dissemination of the activities of the project to the broad public is seen as a key
part of the demonstration project. It should especially be foreseen to communicate the benefits
of hydrogen and fuel cells in public transport. Regional authorities should support the project
with communication.
Expected impact: Mid-Range Trucks Program
FC trucks
The mid-range fuel cell Trucks are expected to comply with the following requirements

Maximum funding: 3500,- €/kW installed FC system if the vehicles are deployed
within the first two years after project start, 1800/750 €/kW2 if the vehicles are
deployed after two years.

>20,000h / 2 x 10,000h2 vehicle operation lifetime initially, minimum 25,000h lifetime
as program target

The key power source of vehicles must be a fuel cell system or a hybrid solution with
a fuel cell range extender
Fuel cell system MTBF >2,500 km
Availability >90% (to be measured in available operation time)
Tank-to-wheel efficiency >42%, for trucks measured in real cycles.
Series production ability has to be shown
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It will be important to demonstrate that the FC Trucks will be able to fulfill requirements for
urban delivery, assuring one day of operation without refill.

For the FC Trucks, the funding per unit cannot exceed 700,000 € (i.e. fuel cell of maximum 200 kW
funded at 3500 €/kW) if the vehicles are deployed within the first two years after project start, 360,000
2
€/150,000€2 (i.e. 1800/750 €/kW if the vehicles are deployed after two years.
HRS (trucks program)
HRS are expected to comply with the following requirements:

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

HRS are to be designed to allow for supply of at least 5 trucks daily for cost effective
HRS operation.
A target availability of the station of 95% (measured in usable operation time of the
station providing redundancy for service and maintenance) should be adopted
Inclusion of the HRS designs developed under earlier programmes (including the 2014
call) to show integration of concept and cost down potential of hydrogen production
and storage for larger fleets as well as the potential to scale up capacity.
The cost of dispensed hydrogen offered in the project needs to be consistent with the
national or regional strategy on hydrogen pricing. Cost improvements due to increased
hydrogen production capacity and especially higher utilization rates of the HRS is
anticipated in the course of the project (target at the pump < 10 €/kg excl. taxes)
The average maximum funding per HRS is 1,000,000 €, excluding on-site production
equipment.
Other information:
Other information: Bus Program
Any event (accidents, incidents, near misses) that may occur during the project execution
shall be reported into the European reference database HIAD (Hydrogen Incident and
Accident Database) at https://odin.jrc.ec.europa.eu/engineering-databases.html.
It is recommended that the project is co-funded by national, regional or private sources in
order to demonstrate a strong commitment towards clean propulsion and emission free public
transport. Co-funding needs to be fully secured before the signature of the grant agreement to
ensure timely realisation of the project.
Proposers should provide a clear evidence of:


political support for the project together with commitment to further involvement in
the roll out must be provided as part of the proposal, through a Letter of Intent
a comprehensive exploitation-plan for the project should also form part of the
proposal.
The consortium should include multiple bus service providers/operators, bus OEMs,
refuelling infrastructure operators, fuel retailers, industrial players, local and regional bodies,
as appropriate and relevant to the effective delivery of the programme.
To be eligible for participation, a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry and/or Research Grouping.
The commitment of OEMs to supplying vehicles to the project is a key requirement for
funding under this call. The involvement of SMEs is encouraged but not a pre-requisite.
The following TRLs are at least required:


7 for FC buses at start of project
7 for the HRS at start of project.
Other information: Trucks Program
All of the conditions described for the Bus Program under the section “Other
information” are also valid for the Trucks Program, the only variants being those
reported here below.
The consortium should include trucks fleets providers/operators, trucks OEMs and FC
systems integrators, refuelling infrastructure operators, fuel retailers, industrial players, local
and regional bodies, as appropriate and relevant to the effective delivery of the programme.
The commitment of trucks OEMs to supplying trucks to the project is a key requirement for
funding under this call. The involvement of SMEs is encouraged.
The following TRLs are at least required:


6 for the mid-range trucks at start of project
7 for the HRS at start of project.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic in the case the
project includes both buses and trucks. If project proposals are only covering one particular
application (e.g. either buses or trucks), up to 2 projects may be funded
Indicative funding: The maximum FCH-JU contribution that may be requested is €35m per
project provided the project includes both bus and truck applications. In case that projects cover
only one particular application (e.g. only buses or only trucks), the maximum FCH-JU
contribution that may be requested per project is €28 m. This is an eligibility criterion –
proposals requesting FCH-JU contributions above this amount will not be evaluated.
Expected duration: 4-6 years
Type of action: Innovation Action
FCH-01.8-2016: Next generation APUs demonstrated on heavy duty on road vehicles, marine,
air and rail applications applying existing stack technologies
Specific challenge:
Deployment of fuel cell technology in Auxiliary Power Units (APU) is attractive due to the
potential for increased efficiency and reduction in emissions. The APU is especially set up for the
application in a commercial vehicle and it is used when the vehicle pulls in for the typical eighthour rest stop and it will start up to power lighting and other accessories inside the cab. The
truck's diesel engine will not need to run for those purposes. The functionality of APU could be
extended such that it could be even used during vehicles driving mission for other electrical loads
in order to improve the overall fuel efficiency. However, current development status of fuel cell
based APU technology is still not meeting all targets to be competitive from the application point
of view and to enable rapid market penetration.
Scope:
The first European demonstrators of APU technology (on vehicles and at laboratory scale) were
developed through FCH JU projects DESTA, FCGEN, SAFARI. Within these projects both
PEMFC and SOFC stack technology were utilized while the fuel choice covered diesel and LNG.
These demonstration projects have already provided evidence about the maturity of the
technology but further activities are necessary to fulfil the application standards and
requirements. Technology assessments through the projects activities suggest that there are still
considerable potentials for improvements in terms of functionality, efficiency, lifetime and cost
for this technology.
The scope of the continuous research would be to address the issues captured with previous
studies which are crucial for further maturing the technology to the readiness level which would
allow start of production and market launch. The particular issues identified are:

The performance and control of power electronics (DC/DC) needs to be optimized in
order to further increase output power and system efficiency. Optimum solutions of the
stack to DC/DC architecture needs to be found.

Improvement of the energy management strategy with vehicle battery. The battery
configuration of the vehicle need to be further investigated and more suitable solution
found that is practical from vehicle perspective.

Optimal solutions of the certain system components needs to be found (battery
technology, afterburner etc.) as well as packaging improvements are needed in order to
further reduce system weight and cost.

Improved control strategies for different modes of operation. Solutions that facilitate
shorter start-up are needed.

Durability needs to be evaluated through limited field trial with APU systems installed on
several vehicles and lifetime-tested under different conditions, e.g. typical winter and
summer conditions.
Assessment of legislation and need for application related rules and regulations.

Expected impact:
Improvement of the performance, durability and cost of truck APU systems.
Specific targets:

Cost below 3000 €/kW

System weight ≤ 150 kg

Electric system efficiency (LHV) in the range of >30% (for trucks)

Lifetime ≥ 20 000 h (for trucks)

Bring maturity level from current TRL4 to TRL6 and higher.
Other Information:
The consortium should include system integrators (OEMs), APU system developers, application
related end-users and possibly regulatory officials.
Indicative funding: €5M from EU
Number of projects: 1
Expected duration: 3 years
Type of action: Innovation (IA)
MAWP
Type
Topic title
ref
RI,I,CSA
T19
RI
Development of hydrogen refueling infrastructure technology
(systems and components) for FCEVs
Est.
Budget
N/A
Parallel to large scale deployment of state of the art HRS technology in international deployment
programs, this topic targets improvement of this technology on performance and durability, with
focus on the compression technology, reinforcing the HRS exploitation business case.
·
Potential OPEX reduction by lifetime and durability improvement of hydrogen
compression technology which nowadays is about 50% of total HRS cost; anticipated lowering of
maintenance down time.
·
Potential CAPEX reduction realized by modularly scalable compression technology,
allowing to avoid compression overcapacity and the construction of lean HRS’s
·
Flexibility of HRS compression capacity, sizing as a function of refueling demand,
allowing for lean OPEX.
·
Reducing the economy of scale factor in the HRS total cost of ownership, allowing
economically viable small scale HRS
·
Modular scalability of compression capacity allows for continued (below maximum
capacity) operation during maintenance, eliminating down time.
MAWP
Type
Topic title
ref
RI,I,CSA
E13
RI
Development of improved small scale hydrogen compression
Est.
Budget
Small
Decentralized (local and semi-centralized) hydrogen production by electrolysis and other means
produce hydrogen at low to medium pressure. These pressures are too low for efficient storage,
distribution and many applications of hydrogen. Currently available compressors are too costly,
inefficient and have a too low reliability for HRS use for example. The costs of the compressor
and efficiency must be improved to reduce costs of hydrogen at HRS. New technologies and/or
combination of existing and new technologies are required to achieve these targets and reduce
hydrogen costs for HRS.
This call aims at reducing cost and energy use as well as improving reliability of compression by
using electrochemical systems instead of mechanical compressors. This topic is currently in the
Energy Pillar Topic List – proposed proposals should be referred to the Transport Pillar?
ENERGY PILLAR
FCH-02.1-2016: Demonstration of centralized electrolysis to generate hydrogen and provide
electricity grid services
Specific challenge:
The penetration of variable renewable electricity based on solar and wind energy increases the
need to match supply and demand for power. Electrolysis is a means to convert excess electricity
into hydrogen that can be stored and re-electrified at a later time or used for other energy
consuming or industrial processes. As a flexible load the electrolyser can also offer grid
balancing services.
This topic aims to demonstrate services that electrolysis can provide the grid operator, and/or
operate mainly driven by power market price. When market prices are low, extra hydrogen and
oxygen can be economically produced. This will have an impact on the power market price;
reducing somehow further price decline. As such, this is the first grid demand management tool,
while selling the hydrogen and oxygen produced on the market.
The main characteristic are:
 Demonstration of large electrolysis units (3-10MW) using the latest available technology
 Providing grid services/power demand management on a commercial basis (for example
peak shaving and/or grid balancing and/or grid de-bottlenecking and/or demand
management)
 Access to infrastructure to store and distribute hydrogen
Recent years of R&D have significantly improved the production ramp up and down flexibility of
PEM electrolysis technology and improved the scalability from kW to MW size. What is still
lacking is large scale infield demonstration at sites where both multiple grid services are required
and where hydrogen and oxygen at the same time can be distributed and offered for multiple high
value markets, such as e.g. industrial gases, transport fuel and power-to-gas. Only such
applications can provide both the scale for providing grid balancing and reaching cost levels
where additional revenue can be generated from hydrogen distribution and sales.
This demonstration call seeks proposals which demonstrate state-of-the-art electrolyser
technologies providing and receiving revenue by providing these grid services and/or demand
management, whilst distributing (and receiving revenues from) hydrogen (and potentially
oxygen) for high value markets.
Scope:
The objective of the project is to deploy and monitor state of the art (2017) electrolyser systems
and supporting hydrogen (and potentially oxygen) distribution and supply systems configured to
attract revenues from grid services and/or leveraging timely power price opportunities, in
addition to providing hydrogen (and potentially oxygen) for multiple high value markets.
The scope of the project should include efforts such as:
 Large scale electrolyser in excess of 3MW must be tested in order to be in relationship
with the grid scale and be sized, and have a sufficiently rapid response time, to participate
in the existing primary and secondary grid balancing markets. Power installed should be
duly justified along with the advantages offered to the grid and the resulting long term
business model. The output pressure shall be designed to fulfil, when possible, the
required pressure for the hydrogen market targeted - including buffer storage needs if any
- and reduce as far as possible the need for dedicated hydrogen compression units
downstream.
 This topic focuses on the inclusion of specific improvements of the current state-of-the-art
related to the electrolyser operation under partial loads, quick response, system for reserve
and frequency response services, forecasting models for electricity price and renewable
energy production
 The electrolyser technology strives to demonstrate an efficiency consistent with MAWP
targets by 2020: energy consumption of 52 kWh/kg @1000+/kg and CAPEX of 2.0
M€/(t/d) (NB: equivalent to +:- 865€/kW). Those target costs do not include the specific
tailoring of the electrolysis to be compatible with the grid services to be brought
 Electrolyser system operators will demonstrate that they are able to benefit from grid
services revenue streams and/or power price opportunities. Here, the consortium will
demonstrate that they are able to obtain these revenues by entering into commercial
contracts with the grid operators or utilities who value these services
 A comprehensive operation plan must be put in place. State of the art electrolysers and
downstream systems must be installed and operated for a minimum period of two years
 Electrolysers systems will demonstrate a sufficient level of responsiveness to meet the
requirements of the grid services and/or power price opportunities they will seek to offer
(e.g. rapid modulation, rapid start, as required by the services offered to the grid)
 Eligible consortia should reflect the value chain for the business case considered, such as
for instance electrolyser and hydrogen technology developers, electricity grid operators,
gas companies, HRS network operators, industrial hydrogen customers, utilities and
energy companies. Specifically, the partnership must include strong links to:
o the necessary contractual and commercial expertise to access revenues from the
grid services and/or power price opportunities
o technical expertise for the design, provision and operation of the electrolyser and
associated hydrogen distribution and supply technologies
o market access for downstream provision of hydrogen for high value markets such
as industrial gas, transport fuel or power-to-gas
It will be valuable if consortia build upon already feasible business cases, so that potential
customers (transport use, industry or utility) do not discontinue the use of the installation after
project end, but on the contrary support continued market roll-out efforts.
Expected impact:
The proposal is expected to demonstrate in an operational environment state of the art
electrolysis technology configured to attract revenues from grid services and/or power price
opportunities in addition to providing hydrogen for multiple high value markets.
The consortium will ensure that actions are included in the project in order to generate learning
and reach KPI and commercial targets, such as:

Confirm and validate feasible operation of large scale electrolysis, together with the
necessary grid interfaces as well as hydrogen distribution and supply systems that
captures revenue from multiple markets
 The environmental performance of the system – with a particular attention to the CO2
intensity of the hydrogen produced, which should include an understanding of the CO2
impact of the grid services mode selected and CO2 footprint impact in the addressed
hydrogen end-user markets
 Techno-economic analysis of the performance of these systems
 Projections of the value and size of the markets addressed by provision of the grid
balancing services and supply to multiple hydrogen markets
 Assessment and operation experience of the contractual and hardware arrangements
required to access the balancing services and operate the electrolyser systems
 Assessment and operation experience, including safety, of the contractual and hardware
arrangements required to distribute and supply hydrogen to multiple markets such as
industrial gas, transport fuel and/or power-to-gas
 Assessment of the legislative and RCS implications of these systems and any issues
identified in obtaining consents to operate the system
 Recommendations for policy makers and regulators on measures required to stimulate
the market for these systems
Public-facing versions of these ‘lessons learnt’ reports should be prepared and disseminated
across Europe and potentially wider
Other Information:
TRL is expected to go from 6 (technology demonstrated in relevant environment) or 7 (system
prototype demonstration in operational environment) to 8 (system complete and qualified).
To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry or Research Grouping.
Indicative funding: indicated funding of €12 million -depending on budget may be raised to 15mThe capacity of the electrolyser and storage/gas supply and distribution system should be linked
to the budget via the cost KPIs in the MAWP (for example: 12m€ is expected buy an innovation
project with 8MW electrolyser including storage/gas supply and distribution capacity).
Number of projects:
This funding can be allocated to one large project including the additional activities suggested
under the scope of the topic (hydrogen distribution and supply systems) with a maximum
contribution of €12 million. Alternatively, it can be allocated to two projects (one smaller and one
larger).
Expected duration: 4-5 years
Type of action: Innovation
FCH-02.2-2016: Establish requirements and tests to demonstrate compliance for electrolysers
performing electricity grid services
Specific challenge:
Initial implementations of fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructures are required in the EU to
demonstrate the potential of these technologies to decarbonize energy and transport sectors.
However, green hydrogen generation by means of electrolysers connected to electrical grids
needs to decrease costs and increase efficiency. A wide portfolio of research and development
actions have been carried out to this end, but it still remains unclear in which direction
incremental improvements should move on. Then, to achieve cost reduction in operation of these
electrolysers, efforts are needed to align them with the provision of specific grid services which
are going to be required by EU transmission and distribution grids due to the foreseen high
penetration of renewable energy sources (RES).
Based on the study “Development of Water Electrolysis in the European Union”4 providing
energy services is expected to require start-stop and dynamic operation and high efficiency across
the load curve. On the other hand, future technological targets- as stated in the MAWP 20142020 – have been considered partly optional and subordinated to the different services brought to
the grid, specifically when regarding flexibility of operation and cold-hot start features. Although
it is clearly stated in both documents the importance of dynamic operation to provide grid
services, no special indication has been made to consider or segregate the performance of the
systems depending on the specific services to be provided, the scale of the electrolyser or the load
to be covered (depending on end uses for the generated hydrogen).
The challenge is not only to do efforts focused on developing better components and systems able
to meet the already proposed KPIs, but also on further develop and prepare benchmarks at
component and system levels and set up standardized tests to study which are the specific
indicators and performance requirements for each grid service to be provided, considering the
feedback from TSO/DSO as well as trying to reach investors in hydrogen infrastructures.
Scope:
Proposals should contribute to the following advances:
 Development of both incremental improvements and increasing global performance in
electrolyser components and systems in relation to the different grid services that can be
provided at transmission and distribution (T&D) level.
 Benchmarking of components and assessment of incremental improvements through a
specific testing methodology specially defined to evaluate the ability of the electrolyser to
provide each possible grid service (e.g. blackstart, power quality and harmonics, reserves,
voltage/frequency regulation, RES balancing, peak shaving, avoidance of curtailment,
etc).
 Standardization of a testing methodology to evaluate the ability, regarding features, of
electrolysers to provide grid services. Establishment of power curves to be introduced for
the emulation of T&D grids for electrolysers providing each grid service in relation to
their features (e.g. depending on nominal and maximum power, type of technology, etc).
Characterization of different operation modes to provide each different grid service.
4
Available at: http://www.fch-ju.eu/sites/default/files/study%20electrolyser_0-Logos_0.pdf


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Study on the services with the highest potential (considering economical, technical, legal
and environmental aspects) to compete or be a strong alternative in relation to other
existing energy storage systems (ESS) and/or smart grid approaches considering the
electrolyser size and features as well as the possible end uses of hydrogen.
Improvements of components at stack level, tested according with the standardized
procedures for the provision of grid services.
Study, design and improvements for both power electronics and balance of plant aiming
at providing flexibility to the whole system without compromising overall efficiency and
cost.
Compliance with technical 2020 KPIs in MAWP and the study “Development of water
electrolysis in the European Union” in what concerns to the provision of grid services
(e.g. ramp-ups, warm start-up, cold start-up, standby, etc) as a minimum. Projects should
go beyond developing specific performance indicators for the provision of each grid
service in 2020 and in the following years.
Development of a smart control and communication system to operate the electrolyser to
provide the required grid services considering input constraints (e.g. status of electric
energy market) and output constraints (e.g. variations in cost of hydrogen for different end
uses).
Demonstration of electrolyser (100 kW – 500 kW), power electronics, balance of plant
and control system providing a range of grid services.
Assessment of CAPEX and OPEX considering the provision of each different and a
combination of grid services for electrolysers components and systems.
Development of a business model showing the agents (including DSO/TSO, generators,
consumers, electrolysers operators/owners, etc), the interrelations and the economic flows
and incentives to foster introduction of electrolysers for grid operation to provide services
to the electrical network. Technical, economical, legal, environmental and social aspects
will be considered to define a suitable business model, considering the differences and
particularities in relation to each member state.
Market potential assessment to determine the best cases and countries for introduction of
electrolysers providing grid services and roadmap for implementation at EU level.
Recommendations to promote the introduction of electrolysers in energy storage in RCS
at EU and member state level.
Expected impact:
The project should lead to achieve the following impacts:
 Provision of economic quantifications of savings in operational costs for final hydrogen
energy and transport infrastructures when generating hydrogen by means of electrolysers
that provide grid services (e.g. generating hydrogen from curtailed energy from RES) to
engage public and private financiers/operators of these installations, fostering investments
in FCH installations.
 Contribute to better understand the expected behaviour and features of electrolysers when
providing grid services and across the load curve to manufacturers. This effort should lead
to further definition of specific KPIs for dynamic operation to provide energy services.

Development of standardized tests and procedures for assessing the possibility of
electrolysers to provide grid services, providing a way to compare and assess
improvements for manufacturers.
 Paving the way to achieve a standard performance of electrolysers to provide grid services
(using hydrogen for different end uses), showing their potential against/combined with
other ESS or approaches to reinforce electrical networks and allow wide penetration of
RES.
 Contribution to develop a regulatory framework for energy storage at EU and member
state level including electrolysers.
 Implementation of incremental improvements and increase of global performance at
component and system level for the provision of grid services establishing specific
performance indicators at technical level going beyond existing 2020 KPIs in this field
(e.g. ramp-ups, cold/warm start…). Besides this, respect to central KPIs in 2020 related to
CAPEX/OPEX gathered in Multi Annual Working Plan and the study “Development of
water electrolysis in the European Union”1. Specifically, compliance with electricity
consumption of 52 kWh/kg H2 for alkaline electrolysers and 48 kWh/kg H2 for PEM
electrolysers, as well as CAPEX of 630 EUR/kW for alkaline electrolysers and 1,000
EUR/kW for PEM electrolysers.
Consortiums are encouraged to collaborate with DSO and/or TSO for the assessment of
technical and economic needs for electrolysers to provide grid services and to reach the
expect impact.
Other Information:
Projects are expected to start at TRL 4 and to reach TRL 6.
To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry and/or Research Grouping.
Proposals should build upon experience and results from previously funded projects both on
national and European levels.
Indicative Funding: EUR 2 million
Number of Projects: A maximum of 1 project
Expected Duration: 3 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.3-2016: Proof-of-concept of the reversible operation of a hydrogen-based power-topower system
Specific challenge:
In order to allow for continuous power supply from intermittent sources of electrical energy (e.g.
renewables like wind, solar, wave), energy storage in a local power-to-power (P2P) system is
needed in several applications, at consumer or grid service level, specifically DSOs. Examples
are off-grid telecommunication stations, local energy storage for self-consumption of selfproduced energy or off-grid supply of electrical energy to island communities, grid support
services for balancing, load following, grid regulation.
 Batteries provide short term (hours to few days in general, rarely to weekly) power-to-power
/ energy storage capabilities with excellent dynamic performance and energy efficiency of
more than 90 (energy out to energy in ratio), but have cost, life time, safety and performance
issues. E.g. chemical self-discharge is a strong disadvantage of batteries for long term
storage; batteries loose usable capacity with higher temperatures; e.g. in operation above
30°C their usable capacity can decrease to about ½ of the nominal one.

Medium (month) to long term (seasonal) energy storage for medium to large scales of power
and capacity in the foreseeable future can only be realised by power-to-power systems, based
on storage in chemical energy carriers.

In order to allow for a complete green system without local emissions of pollutants and
greenhouse gases, the development of hydrogen based power-to-power systems with
hydrogen as the energy carrier is the most attractive option, provided following challenges
can be solved.

TCO of P2P system (CAPEX and OPEX, e.g. cost of components and their maintenance)
must be competitive. In all power ranges from 2 kW to 10 MW projections are indicating
CAPEX between 300 and 600 €/kWh for batteries (EPRI 2012), predicted to decline by next
decade targeting a range of 150-200 €/kWh (Rocky Mountain Institute 2012);

Increase of overall energy efficiency: today hydrogen based P2P systems offer at maximum
15 - 30% (electrolysis 60 – 80%, fuel cells ~ 50%, storage ~ 50 – 70 % depending whether
liquid, pressurized or in solid state);

Long-term stability of the capacity, power and conversion efficiency of the P2P system in the
range of 10.000 of operation cycles / corresponding time of operation;

Integration into existing power supply systems with respect to static and dynamic behaviour
as well as temperature of operation in order to achieve optimised dimensioning and
performance of the system;

Size and safety issues: indoor operation, e.g. inside residential or factory buildings, require a
highly compact design and an extremely high level of safety against unintential release of
hydrogen.
In general, hydrogen based P2P systems require three devices: a) an electrolyser, b) a hydrogen
store, and c) a fuel cell. Of these, electrolyser and fuel cell are used only part time depending on
the currently active mode of operation and thus increasing the CAPEX.
High temperature electrolysis (SOEC) and fuel cells (SOFC) offer an alternative, since they can
be operated reversibly (reversible Solid Oxide Cell rSOC), either in electrolysis mode or in fuel
cell mode, thus combining a) and c) in one single device. In addition to the decrease of the
investment cost, the higher efficiency of SOEC and SOFC as compared to low temperature
electrolysis and fuel cell makes such a P2P system even more attractive. A global efficiency for
the whole system including hydrogen storage is expected to be > 40 - 50%.
The challenge with respect to such rSOC systems therefore is to reach validation at system level,
demonstrating their potential to cope with the challenges mentioned above.
Scope:
Proposals should focus on the development and validation at system level, for small scale
(<10kW, >100 kWh) rSOC based P2P systems by testing in representative conditions. The
systems should be developed addressing a specific business case.
The following objectives should be addressed:
 Develop concepts (i.e. flowsheetings…) of a rSOC for a chosen application.

Develop cells and stack components for dynamic and reversible operation (e.g. high
efficiency, good tightness, high durability);

Develop AC – DC power control and conversion systems and other BoP for integration in
the chosen application

Develop the coupling of the rSOC with a hydrogen storage in order to reach the highest
exergetic behaviour and cost efficiency;

In-field testing and validation of the P2P system, including dynamic and reversible operation
(by improving heat exchangers, piping pressure control system, compactness, automation
etc.);

Develop a business model and a techno-economic analysis, including comparison of the
overall efficiency, reliability and cost-competitiveness with other state-of-the-art P2P
technologies, demonstrating distinct advantages of hydrogen based P2P systems.
Where beneficial, integration with power-to-heat or power-to-cooling applications could be part
of proposed projects in order to enhance overall energy efficiency of the systems.
Expected impact:

Development of a P2P system prototype (power capacity in the range 2 - 10 kW, storage
capacity > 100 kWh) based on reversible Solid Oxide Cell technology for a selected business
case;
o Cost targets (system level): <10.000 €/kW, <1.000 €/kWh within the timescale of the
project and plan to achieve competitiveness with battery based energy storage in the
medium term (2020 horizon);
o Overall electrical energy efficiency target  40%;
o Offering distinct performance advantages compared to batteries (acceptable degradation,
no self-discharge, no capacity loss at application relevant temperatures of operation);
o Potential for high durability with degradations around 3% per 1000 hours of operation /
per 10,000 cycles of operation in reversible operation;

In-field testing of proposed rSOC technology (TRL 5);

Identification of a Business case;

Identification of development steps planning to reach higher TRL > 5;
Successful projects are expected thus to contribute to realising safe and continuous supplies of
electrical energy from intermittent renewable energy sources and defining a technological and
societal road map for implementation of these energy supplies in a wider range of applications.
Other Information:
Projects are expected to start at TRL 4 and to reach at least TRL 5.
Proposals should build upon experience and results from previously funded projects both on
national and European level on component and system development.
Indicative funding: 4 - 5 mill euros
Number of projects: the aim of the FCH JU is to fund 1 project, whereby a second project may be
put on the reserve list
Expected duration: 3 - 4 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.4-2016: Development of innovative hydrogen purification technology based on
membrane systems
Specific challenge:
Each year about 50 M ton of hydrogen is produced in majority at refineries by steam methane
reforming. Most of it is purified using large pressure swing absorption systems. For a continuous
flow of pure hydrogen multiple units are required, operating in out-of-phase duty cycles,
demanding a substantial investment for refineries and producing a waste fraction, normally used
for heat generation. Especially at lower scale, PSA systems are not meeting cost targets (CAPEX
& OPEX). For new hydrogen production methods without heat demand like biomass
fermentation and for hydrogen from industrial hydrogen pipelines and underground caverns,
innovative and lean hydrogen purification technologies are needed.
This topic calls for proposals to develop innovative membrane based hydrogen purification
methods fit for dynamic hydrogen demand at lower scale and high hydrogen purity requirements.
Scope:
The scope of this topic comprises the proof-of-concept and optimization of hydrogen purification
technologies that meet the purity requirements for fuel cells used in stationary and transport
applications. These systems should be optimized for stand-alone operation with close to zero
hydrogen containing waste gases, used for purification from the new hydrogen production
methods, delivery and storage sources.
Proposals for projects are expected to address smaller scale clean-up just before use of the
hydrogen. The project(s) shall take into account the following overall technology objectives:
 Low overall energy consumption. This includes energy input, H2 losses and energy
required for re-compression to input pressure
 Low cost (investment and operational cost). The operational cost of purification is
expected to be a small fraction of the final hydrogen cost (ca. 0.15 €/kg -to be verified for
feasibility; potentially changed into energy target-)
The project should include:
 Development of a stand-alone hydrogen purification system
 Validation of the hydrogen purification technology in a relevant simulated environment
 Cost assessment of the developed hydrogen purification technology, addressing
operational and installation cost of the system and benchmarking with the conventional
PSA and palladium membrane technologies
Expected impact:
A step change in installation and operational cost for a membrane based, small scale stand-alone
hydrogen purification system is expected:
 The purification technology needs to show a hydrogen recovery of above 90%.
 Hydrogen purification technology should be able to achieve 5 kWh/kg H2
 Reduction of CAPEX down to 350k€/ (ton H2/day) -capex figure to be checked for
feasibility-, with reduction of cost compared to state of art (e.g. palladium or PSA
purification)
Other information: TRL start: 3; TRL end: 5
Indicative funding:
The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 2-3
million would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately.
Expected duration: 3 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.5-2016: Development of compact reformers for distributed hydrogen production
Specific challenge:
There is a need to increase the share of renewable resources in final energy consumption and
achieve increase in energy efficiency. In the objectives and vision of the FCH-JU, hydrogen
production from low carbon sources represents a valuable possibility to promote the
decarbonisation of the energy system in a sustainable way. Thus, there is a need to identify in the
near term pathways leading to low-cost hydrogen production technologies with near-zero net
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from highly efficient and diverse renewable sources.
The Distributed production of hydrogen (H2<500 Nm3/h) is one of the interesting approaches to
introduce hydrogen as an energy carrier in the near term. This approach requires less capital
investment for the smaller capacity of hydrogen, and it does not require a substantial hydrogen
transport and delivery infrastructure. Such hydrogen production will use locally available
feedstock and power in compact systems.
The specific challenge is to demonstrate the potentials of alternative and sustainable utilization of
biogas, bio-ethanol, methanol, bio-oil as renewable fuels for a decentralized bio-hydrogen
production in form of more compact and efficient reforming technologies.
The heat integration of decentralized small scale reformers need to be improved as well as the
purification step to increase total efficiency of the reformer systems. In addition, the use of less
pure renewable feedstock will reduce cost of renewable hydrogen.
Scope:
At the present, most hydrogen is produced by centralized high temperature steam reforming of
natural gas including also the CO clean-up steps to produce H2. For a wider penetration of
hydrogen within the market, a reliable and affordable hydrogen supply with low carbon
emissions is crucial.
The reformer technology should address the following aspects:

range: 5 – 500 kWel, for distributed applications in farms, municipalities, small power
houses;

hydrogen purity: >99,999%, industrial purity grade;

demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility of small units (100-500 kg /day H2)
able to process renewable raw materials derived by biomass feedstock.
The fuel cell hydrogen purity requirements are different from those industrial requirements with a
main focus on specific contaminants with stringent levels like CO, while other contaminants are
accepted like nitrogen and noble gases. This offers new and more efficient coupling of hydrogen
cleaning and reformer systems.
Main objectives of the project will target:

improve the efficiency of hydrogen production by more heat integration of the reformers, to
lower costs by the use of cheaper feedstock (less pure feedstock) and lower material costs;

increase the yield of purification methods and reducing these costs;

(optional) improve carbon dioxide removal from production pathways is possible. This line
of action must include not only hydrogen production as well as hydrogen purification but
also feedstock preparation.
In addition, projects should support development of optimized and more compact systems,
tolerant to variable amount and typology of raw materials. Thus, the proposals should
demonstrate a high degree of process/reactors intensification to decrease the total required
systems volume, increasing bio-fuels conversions and hydrogen yields, moreover, higher overall
energy efficiencies, as well as overcome of heat and mass transfer limitations to increase the H2
production rate are required.
The project should demonstrate the economic feasibility of producing hydrogen to support
integration of renewable energy sources as biomasses into the energy systems at distributed level,
including feedstock preparation, transport and use.
The following objectives should be addressed:

Design and construction of bio-fuels reforming unit, including BoP for thermal, gas and
electrical management, provided of:
o Min - max H2 production capacity: 100 - 500 kg/ day
o H2 quality : According to SAE J2719
o Total cost of H2 (including CAPEX, OPEX): 0.3-0.5 €/Nm3
o Load variation : 20-100%
o Min cold starts: 50 / year
o Cold start up time: < 2 h
o Start up after stand by : 15 min - immediately
o Reactor & system modularity
o System size and weight: Process intensification by integration of reformer catalysts and
heat exchangers and burner
o Control hardware, protocol/algorithms improvements for stand-alone operation
o Overall efficiency on or above 80% based on higher heating value
o Design Life time of at least 10 years
o Demonstration of reformer of at least 4,400 hours

Assessment of the techno-economic performance in comparison to other state of art
technologies.

Demonstration of a business plan and service strategy during the project that will be
replicable and validated in the chosen market segment after the project.
Expected impact:
The project is expected to develop reactor and system design for renewable H2 produced on-site
with total cost of H2 (including CAPEX, OPEX) between 0.3-0.5 €/Nm3. This is expected to lead
to:
-
Demonstrate a lower cost of renewable hydrogen production in the near term
compared with alternative available solutions (water electrolysis from renewable
electricity);
-
Bring the technology closer to implementation and demonstration at HRS;
-
Open new reformer technologies for CHP fuel cells;
-
Demonstrate negative CO2 footprint in the case of CO2 separation.
Proposals should indicate the specific Business case and development steps planning to reach
higher TRLs > 6.
Other Information:
Projects are expected to start at TRL 4 and to reach at least TRL 6.
Indicative funding: 3.5 million
Number of projects: the aim of the FCH JU is to fund 1 project, whereby a second project may be
put on the reserve list
Expected duration: 3-4 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.6-2016: Development of processes for direct production of hydrogen from sunlight
Specific challenge:
The direct conversion of solar energy in hydrogen remains a fundamental goal for the
forthcoming energy economy based on renewable sources. It is therefore important to develop
new and less expensive technologies for obtaining hydrogen by water photosplitting using solar
light. These aims are fully integrated on the recommendations from the ongoing Green Hydrogen
Study.
To bring photo-electrolysis to a commercially viable level, main efforts have so far been focused
on the development of new photo-catalytic materials with high efficiencies at lower costs.
Systems with relatively high efficiency are usually composed by expensive and often chemically
unstable materials, while other less sophisticated systems do not yet have satisfactory yields.
While benchmark materials have been established over the past few years, none of the materials
is close to being optimised yet. In fact, a basic problem remains to be solved that is the
achievements of both novel semiconductors with superior electronic properties and optimal
potentials, additionally showing a high capability of absorbing the visible components of solar
light.
In order to further advance the technology towards the market, the materials research must be
accompanied by development of reliable and highly flexible photo-electrolysis devices, that
operate at high solar-to-hydrogen-efficiencies and exhibit lower production costs. Advanced
device engineering is required to maximise electrode performance, optimise the mass and current
transfer characteristics, and prevent corrosion and photo-corrosion. Operative prototype, with
significant hydrogen production, are not available.
Scope:
Aim of the project is the study of new materials for direct water splitting from sunlight, followed
by a demonstration of up-scaling and the development prototype production equipment. A photoelectrochemical approach, employing either single-photoelectrode cells or tandem cells should be
followed for this purpose
Goals could be obtained considering a wide variety of solids, with particular attention to the
class of metal oxides (usually cheap and chemically robust systems). A preliminary screening
using both theoretical (band gap and band energies calculations) and experimental tools
(photosensitivity, charge separation capability) is claimed in order to identify suitable system to
be tested in a true photocatalytic apparatus.
The project should also aim at the development of an innovative device that is able to overcome
the limitations occurring in current state-of-the-art technologies. The new cell concept should be
development on the basis of highly stable photocatalysts and optimised to be suited for largescale production processes.
The project should put main emphasis on following topics:
 selection of materials with optimized photocatalytic properties;
 proof-of-concept for a new photo-electrolysis device concept for decentralised hydrogen
production;
 demonstration of solar-to-hydrogen efficient conversion;
 high device reliability at demonstrator scale;

low production/investment cost for the new technology demonstrated by a socioeconomical assessment
Expected impact:
A real proof of concept and not a simple benchmarking is mandatory as a result of the project.
Expected outcomes from the project are the following:
 Full analysis of photocatalytic systems for direct hydrogen production from sunlight.
 Specific targets to be obtained are the following:
o H2 production > 100 µmol g-1 h-1
o Efficiency > 10 %
o Cycling times > 5000 hours
o System cost < 5 €/kg H2
 The materials selected and most promising should be upscaled and proved through infield testing.
 A small scale prototype system has to be developed with selected material, including
hydrogen transportation and storage. Optimized management of the prototype should be
demonstrated.
 A cost analysis of the whole hydrogen chain must be planned.
Type of action: Research and Innovation
Project duration: 3 years
Expected funding from FCH JU: 1.5 M€. The aim of the FCH JU is to fund 1 project, whereby a
second project may be put on the reserve list
FCH-02.7-2016: Co-generation of Hydrogen and Electricity with High-Temperature Fuel
Cells
Specific challenge:
High temperature fuel cells are typically used to produce power and heat from natural gas or biomethane at high efficiency. In this process a hydrogen containing syngas is often produced as an
intermediate step.
The specific challenge of this topic is to convert part of this syngas into a hydrogen stream that is
pure enough for fuel cell electric vehicles, while maintaining the high efficiency of the overall
system. The system would thus produce power, hydrogen and possibly heat, with flexibility to
modulate between these products to cope with changing demand.
The results of a project should enable the development of a distributed hydrogen production
system for refuelling fuel cell vehicles in a next stage.
Scope:
This topic calls for the development of a high-temperature fuel cell based system to produce
hydrogen and electricity from natural gas (or bio-methane) with high efficiency.

Design and construction of a prototype system with at least 20kW fuel cell stack to
produce hydrogen and power from natural gas
o with efficiency of at least 65% at the design point calculated as (kWh of DC
power out + kWh H2 out based on LHV)/(kWh NG in based on LHV)
o Producing hydrogen with purity of 99.97%
o With hydrogen to power modulation between 0 (only electricity produced) and 1
(50% electricity and 50% hydrogen produced)

Testing of the system for at least 1000 hours producing electricity and hydrogen at the
demanded purity, including at least 5 cold starts

The design, on paper, of a full scale production unit that could supply hydrogen to a
hydrogen station with 200 kg/day capacity at cost below 4.5 €/kg (fossil base) or 7.0 €/kg
(renewables based).
Optionally the scope could include

An investigation of an electrolysis mode, whereby the system produces hydrogen from
power

An investigation of how potential heat output could be used in a distributed hydrogen
production situation, for example to provide cooling of hydrogen
Expected impact:
The project is expected to demonstration that high temperature fuel cells can produce hydrogen
and power at higher efficiency than conventional technologies (on-site SMR and grid power) and
to bring this technology close to the demonstration stage. This is expected to lead to

more efficient energy use and lower cost of hydrogen production

more energy efficient electricity grid stabilisation compared to existing technologies
(mainly gas turbines)

lower cost of grid stabilisation compared to existing technologies (mainly gas turbines)
because the system is used continuously and not only as back-up
Project proposals should show a clear route to market.
Other Information: TRL start: 4; TRL end: 6
Indicative funding:
The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 6 million
would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately at the scale requested. For
smaller scales a lower amount would be considered appropriate.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic
Expected duration: 3 or 4 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.8-2016: Large scale demonstration of commercial fuel cells in different market
applications
Specific challenge
Maintaining a strong competitive global position as part of low-carbon economy by 2050 is a key
priority in the development of the European Union.
Stationary fuel cell systems in the commercial sector can play a key role to support the
integration of renewable energy sources into the energy system:

as a source of flexibility for the safe operation of the distributed electricity system, as
alternative to conventional power plants (in particular in those regions with limited
hydroelectric capacity to play such role) and specifically used as back-up, reserve and
CHP power source to replace conventional diesel systems

provide high energy efficiency, reduced emissions and high power security for distributed
power systems including smart grids and renewable energy systems by its use as a
commercial competitive energy for electricity produced from renewable energy sources

offer high efficiencies by CHP integration,

potential to reduce the load on the national grid even if the grid fails

Offer the possibility to utilize stored renewable energy where it is needed.
The key markets are base load operations and processes for data centers, hospitals, commercial
and public buildings, small to medium size industries, security networks that need to improve
energy efficiency and power security. Their solutions nowadays depend on the public grid and
suffer therefore from grid outages and lower energy efficiency. Alternative power supply for
these applications is mostly diesel powered and produces CO2, noise and other emissions.
Integrated solutions with fuel cell power plants can replace conventional diesel powered systems
and contribute to CO2, noise and other emission reduction. One aspect also is the potential of
using hydrogen powered systems to have a CO2 neutral operation. At sufficient Hydrogen
storage on site, they also allow to be used to balance the grid in critical situations.
The evolution of the power electronics needed for many renewable sources, eg. Photovoltaic and
Wind, is relatively mature and a lot of reliable solutions are present in the market. Instead, an
electric power solution used for the integration of a fuel cell system with renewable energy
sources is not common in the industrial environment, despite the effectiveness of this solution to
solve the problems related to the intermittence (not easily predictable) of the power delivered by
renewable energy sources.
Scope
The goal of this project is to provide an overarching connection in the field of energy usage and
energy landscape as such, based on integration of available FCH technologies for generating
electrical energy and CHP systems in the commercial sector and building necessary value chain
to enable further commercialization of the products.
The proposal aims to have around 1 MW fuel cell power installed in Europe, in up to 20 different
sites where fuel cell systems are in operations in the range of 20-100 kW electrical power or
above according to the requirements of related applications in commercial building, for critical
loads or grid support.
Main objectives of this topic is to achieve significant improvements in the technical and
economic performance of the FC products including stacks, BoP components and their
manufacturing.
-
reduce the CAPEX at a level of less than 6,000€/kW following the KPIs of the MAWP
Increased system lifetime of more than 15 years and maintenance interval by
new/improved components
Contribute to significant further capital cost reduction enable to tightened start
investments in European production facilities for further ramp-up in European markets
Project proposals should prove the readiness of fuel cell solutions for back-up power, reserve and
CHP applications and the possibility to roll out the fuel cell technology in that large market
segment for power supply solutions.
Further objectives:

Demonstration, evaluation and optimization of new solutions and components especially
at the FC stack level and/or on systems levels through field tests with improved product
concepts e.g. pre-serial status as compared to previous field trials, by validating next
generations of product designs.

Demonstration through field applications the advantages of innovative technologies
(hardware or software) including, but not limited to, monitoring, control, diagnosis,
lifetime estimation, new BoP components.

Development of scaling models, prediction of energy needs combined with fuel-cell
performance including demand side management (DSM) for dispersed energy production
system including FC systems and supporting the increased share of RES

Online monitoring of operating conditions, load demands and system output will provide
initial data to determine the overall efficiency of the system within the testing period.

Establishment of a demonstration/commercialization pathway for European SMEs
innovating in the development, manufacture and supply chain of fuel cell products by
involvement of customers including distributors and end users.
Expected impact
The project shall explicitly strengthen the European value chain in particular for customer
involvement and the critical components such as fuel cell stack, power electronics in connection
with fuel cells and remote control. These issues can be addressed by scaling up in order to
strengthen European industry competiveness. This large scale demonstration will as well initiate
the drive to achieving economies of scale and hence significantly reduce costs enabling further
phase roll-outs/deployment stage to be funded at lower rates by Member States after 2020.
The suggested topic embodies the opportunity to connect substantial research (scaling models,
prediction of energy needs combined with fuel-cell performance) with innovative industrial
practices (system development and engineering against actual configurations). Moreover, it has
high social impact, thus opening the fuel-cell research and innovation world to sectors industry or
disaster recovery.
The proposal aims to have around 1 MW fuel cell power installed in Europe, in up to 20 different
sites where fuel cell systems are in operations in the range of 20-100 kW electrical power or
above according to the requirements of related applications in commercial building, for critical
loads or grid support:
- CHP in commercial/apartment building, small industry
o Significant opportunity for energy efficiency through use of high efficiency fuel
cells
o Public sector with highly controlled and conservative procurement processes,
limited capital for new projects and intensive focus on costs
- Critical loads:
o Hospitals, industry, security networks etc.
o Island mode operation
- Grid support
o Safe operation of electricity system as alternative to conventional power plants
The project can address one or more than one application segment.
The project will be open to all fuel cell technologies.
A project of multiple sites and applications across Europe would help to increase the public
awareness of fuel cell systems as a valuable alternative compared to conventional systems and it
would further support the ramp up of volume production to bring the cost down.
Other information
TRL at start: 5
TRL at end: 7-8
To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry or Research Grouping
The consortium must include EU fuel cell manufacturers, relevant customers such as energy
utilities or distributors and if necessary fuel cell system integrators and relevant suppliers for BoP
components. Also Research institutions and academic groups should be included.
Indicative funding: 15 million Euro
Number of projects: A maximum of 2 projects may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 3-5 years
Type of Action: Innovation Action
FCH-02.9-2016: Advanced monitoring, diagnostics and lifetime estimation for SOFC stacks or
modules
Specific challenge:
Solid oxide fuel cell technology is approaching the market. More and more demonstration
systems are installed. One important cost aspect is the SOFC unit and its lifetime and durability,
which still determine large part of the total costs. While durability studies on SOFC stacks or
modules have been carried out comprehensively using advanced methodology, there is only
limited monitoring of the state of the SOFC during operation in the field available or not even
existing at all. That is a costly problem as the systems cannot counteract properly if a SOFC stack
starts to malfunction or to degrade fatally. A stack monitoring and diagnostic methodology is
therefore needed to evaluate the state of health of a working SOFC, to detect and identify critical
operation, and to counteract appropriately on a system level before fatal damage has occurred on
the SOFC stack.
Previous projects have proposed monitoring and diagnostic techniques for their implementation
on real systems. Balance of Plant faults and stack malfunctions detection methodologies based on
conventional approaches are available after the project GENIUS; a further enhancement has been
achieved by DESIGN towards the development of techniques for stack faults identification. A
step forward is now being accomplished by the project DIAMOND to merge monitoring and
diagnostics with control techniques to improve reliability and performance of SOFC. Moreover,
several solutions developed for PEMFC are based on advanced methodologies that may be
implemented for SOFC as well.
Scope:
The overall objective is to develop monitoring and diagnostic tools for stacks/modules in working
SOFC, which is integrated into the system, robust and cost efficient. Achieving this objective will
lead to improved durability and reduction of TCO (Total cost of ownership) thus fostering fuel
cell market penetration.
Activities will be devoted to build a new framework for monitoring and diagnostics with high
accuracy and reliability. Therefore the methodologies to identify and quantify degradation
phenomena are the main scope of the topic. All available knowledge should be exploited to
perform on-field condition monitoring analysis (e.g. State of the Health) for easy-to-implement
and fast lifetime prediction algorithms. The proposal should also leverage the outcomes of past
and on-going projects to address the following objectives:
 Enhanced understanding of stack degradation mechanisms in real operating conditions using
both experimental and modelling approaches;
 Identify suitable monitoring parameters at stack and system levels that indicate critical state
of the SOFC stack/module within the system;
 Define the most suitable and efficient monitoring and diagnostic tools with lifetime forecast
functions embedded;
 Development of cost-effective monitoring methods to discover fatal degradation in time to
start appropriate protective actions;
 Implement the proposed algorithms on a SOFC system and perform relevant tests to
demonstrate on-line the effectiveness of the developed tool.
All methodologies and tools must comply with industry standards for a straightforward
implementation within SOFC system monitoring and control equipment.
Expected Impact:
Proposals are expected to achieve a substantial improvement over the state of the art by achieving
most of the following targets:
 The most relevant degradation mechanisms in SOFC systems for specific stationary market
segments have to be identified (for example: redox failure, corrosion, poisoning, etc.);
 Monitoring parameters have to be identified that reveal state-of-health of SOFC stacks
regarding those identified critical mechanisms;
 Counter measures to prevent fatal SOFC stack failure have to be proposed;
 Integration and validation of the method into a system.
 It has to be shown that the added cost of the monitoring/diagnostics approach does not
increase the overall system manufacturing costs by more than 3%.
A liaison with previous and currently running relevant FCH JU projects shall be established and
activities should build on existing results from those projects.
Other information: The project needs to address a specific stationary SOFC market segment.
The final tools should reach a TRL of 5 by the end of the project.
The consortium must include at least a relevant producer and research institutions. To be eligible
for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the Industry or
Research Grouping.
Indicative funding: The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the
EU of between EUR 2.5 and 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed
appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals
requesting other amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 3 years
Type of action:
Research & Innovation Action
FCH-02.10-2016: Demonstration of integrated fuel cell power solutions for off-grid remote
areas
Specific challenge
It has been estimated that 1.2 billion people globally will be without electricity access by 2025 5,
in addition 1 billion people are connected to unstable networks and are regularly exposed to
power outages6. It may thus be considered that 2.4 billion people (i.e. around 35% of the global
population) are “under-electrified”7 with a massive use of diesel generation. Indeed, with an
installed diesel production capacity of 600GW8, for which it has been estimated that half is
installed on off-grid sites9, the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions is
mandatory.
Not less important the cost of energy in such areas even in Europe (eg. villages, alpine refuges or
islands) is extremely high (at least 25€cent/kWh). For example El Hierro (Canary Islands) has
the highest cost in Spain with 0.32 €/kWh.
By contrast, RES electricity generation cost is very low. In these conditions of very cheap RES
electricity, it makes sense to use excess RES to power electrolysers and to use hydrogen as
energy storage medium to be reconverted into electricity when needed.
Scope
The goal of this project is to demonstrate the technical and economical viability of FCH
technologies integrated with renewables for generating electrical energy in off-grid or “underelectrified” areas.
To achieve confidence of end users the project should demonstrate the added value of the fuel
cell units as a power solution, and demonstrating island mode capability and operation.
Optimization of power electronics to guarantee a proper integration of fuel cell products to
renewable source and energy infrastructure are important parts of this project.
The project will be open to all fuel cell technologies.
Expected impact
Following support to development of electrolysers for off-grid applications in AWP2015 this
topic will focus on demonstration of fuel cell application in off-grid remote areas or island. Some
hundreds kW will be installed in single site or different sites.
Specific business cases and applications will be addressed.
As reported in the MAWP, target KPIs per fuel cell mid-size installations will be considered.
Further objectives:
5

Demonstration through field applications the advantages of innovative technologies
(hardware or software) including, but not limited to, monitoring, control, diagnosis,
lifetime estimation, new BoP components.

Online monitoring of operating conditions, load demands and system output will provide
initial data to determine the overall efficiency of the system within the testing period.
McKinsey Global Institute: Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business and the global economy, p. 98
A.T Kearney report in collaboration with GOGLA, Investment and Finance Study for Off-Grid Lighting, June 2014
IEA (2012); IEA (2013)
8
The Boston Consulting Group, Revisiting Energy Storage, There is a Business Case, February 2011,p. 10
9
Siemens Corporate Technology, June 2014, p.58
6
7
Other information
TRL at start: 5
TRL at end: 7
To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one constituent entity of the
Industry or Research Grouping
The consortium must include EU fuel cell manufacturers, relevant suppliers for BoP components
and research institutions or academic groups.
Indicative funding: 5 million Euro
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: 5 years
Type of Action:
Innovation Action
FCH-02.11-2016: Development of cost effective manufacturing technologies for key
components or fuel cell systems
Specific challenge
As described in the Study “Advancing Europe's energy system: stationary fuel cells in distributed
generation” by Roland Berger (“RB study”) two key issues need to be addressed by the industry
in order to enable a successful commercialization of the fuel cell technology
● Decrease CAPEX and price level
● Further improve performance
Besides design-to-cost and further R&D related improvements, CAPEX and performance
(especially reliability and lifetime) strongly determined production methods and processes.
During the development and validation stages, manufacturing has through necessity been flexible
to accommodate design changes and increasing understanding of how the process affects
performance and repeatability, leading to a high amount of manual manufacturing steps with a
low level of standardization and thus high costs in the production process.
Besides the cost aspects step changes in the capacity increase are needed if the current large scale
demonstration projects by the FCH-JU directly (and in the following market entry) lead to a
strong demand of produced volumes. Experiences from other industries show that this is a critical
phase for the many players in the supply chain to follow the growth of the business.
The situation of the fuel cell industry in this matter is comparable to the photovoltaic industry in
the 70s and 80s Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cell prices have fallen from >$70 per watt in
1977 to <$0.40 per watt in 2014 by efficiency and productivity improvements (learning curve
effects).
Scope
The overall objective of the projects in this topic is to design and demonstrate manufacturing
solutions that can be integrated in end-to-end automation lines for the production of fuel cells and
fuel cell stacks. It should aim toward key cost drivers by
● reduction of direct labour costs as well and the increase of quality by removing costly and
repetitive manual handling through replacement by lean production concepts and
automatic handling and assembly processes
● reduction of energy use
● achieving higher equipment and material utilisation and improvement of yield rates
● reduction in takt time via higher speed lines; larger batch sizes – especially for energyintensive processes
● Improvement of the quality and the reliability of the products and by implementing
industrial Q&A methods such as embed statistical methods and non destructive analysis
methods.
● reduce material costs by professionalizing the sourcing strategies (bundling of sourcing)
for materials and critical components
● increasing the security of supply by setting up concepts for standards that allow the
establishment of second supply supply chains
Analysis should be made to compare the options of transferring state-of-the-art processes and
methods from similar industries such as photovoltaics and semiconductor into fuel cell
manufacturing lines versus the development of novel fuel cell production concepts (and/or
combinations of both).
Expected impact
The projects under this topic will help the European fuel cell industry to increase its international
competitiveness and its competitiveness against conventional energy technologies thus
strengthening the value chain for fuel cell products in Europe.
Following the KPIs of the MAWP
● the current CAPEX for fuel cell systems should be reduced to less the 10 ct/kWh
● the availability due to implemented quality systems in established production lines, shown
in relevant environment should achieve 97% of the installed units
Other information
The topic is open to different fuel cell types and independent from any market segments. This is
in line with the efforts being carried at EU level towards the improvement of competitiveness and
the increase of production volume. This would allow also for larger investments of the suppliers
while requiring them to provide higher quality at lower cost and a long term security of the
supply.
In that sense the combination of these efforts can offer a way out of the dilemma where high sales
volumes can only be achieved by cost efficient products and vice versa.
The projects under this topic shall focus on relevant sub-steps of the production processes that
will have the biggest impact on the cost and reliability of the fuel cell applications. The design
and installation of fully integrated manufacturing lines is not included.
The projects should support the technology to achieve a step form TLR 6 to TLR 8 during the
project time.
The consortium should include at least two manufactures along the value chain of the fuel cell
products together with research institutions and academic groups to focus also on integrated
analysis methods and contributions to the increase of the reliability.
Indicative funding: The FCH 2 JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 3 million would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately.
Number of projects: A maximum of two projects may be funded under this topic
Expected duration: 3 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action
FCH-02.12-2016: Fuel Cells and Stack concepts with new BoP for improved fuel flexibility,
durability, versatility and low cost
Specific challenge:
The potential for fuel cells to competitively meet all the energy goals for medium and low power
applications in the EU (and globally) by 2030 is now being proven, mainly due to commercial
advances in Japan, and Korea and through customer and demonstration programmes, such as
ene.field (EU) and ene.farm (JPN). They have shown that cost reduction and durability
improvements will enable much faster take-up in the market place.
However, European competitiveness is lacking behind Asian technologies for stationary
applications which is seen to being at least 2-3 years ahead in technology deployment.
Keys to bridge the technological and competition gap are identified in continued cost reductions,
versatility, durability and flexibility of select key components at system, stack and cell level.
Scope:
The goal of this project is to further develop BoP and key components with focus on cost
reduction, versatility, durability , robustness, suitability for series production and flexibility to
improve overall commercial competitiveness.
Development of components has been addressed in earlier projects. This call focusses on the
following key elements and is open to all fuel cell technologies. At least 3 of the following key
objectives must be addressed:
-
Power electronics
-
Heat management components
-
Reformer and fuel processor platforms
-
Functional integration within components (e.g. in fuel cell module…)
-
Improvement of cells
-
Exploit and develop advanced material
Expected impact:
Project within this call should demonstrate a viable proposition for BoP technologies, which
should be based on cost projection of 10,000 units per annum. For stack components the
proposals should leverage cell and stack knowledge already acquired over past programs.
Projects should last between 24 and 36 months such that first low volume products incorporating
could be introduced into the market by 2020.
It is expected that the BoP components developed within this topic will reach a TRL of 7 whereas
TRL 5 is foreseen for the development of stack components.
Other Information:
The consortium must include EU fuel cell manufacturers, Research institutions and academic
groups and relevant suppliers for BoP components.
Indicative funding:
3 million Euro
Number of projects:
2 projects
Expected duration:
3 years
Type of action:
Research and Innovation
CROSS CUTTING PILLAR
FCH.04.1-2016: Education and Training (set on reserve list), European wide high level
education and training for FC&H2 technologies
Specific challenge:
Excellent university education is a key for broader implementation of FCH technologies, but not
all universities have the same insight into the technologies and typical textbook levels are too
general and need frequent updating in a rapidly developing technology field. Measures to bring
university teachers from all across Europe not only together, but also in contact with the
respective industries is needed, e.g. creation of joint lecturer/ industry networks facilitated by the
FCH JU
The supply of high quality teaching and learning material is essential in building the vast human
resources needed for further developing and commercialising FC&H2 technology. The university
type material can later be ‘downgraded’ and used for specific target groups (e.g. regulators, first
responders etc.) and in a further step also secondary schools since the content as such has a
general validity. The described activities and approaches are in line with the educational activities
in the area of FC&H2 laid out in the SET-Plan Education and Training Roadmap
(http://setis.ec.europa.eu/setis-deliverables/education-training-roadmap) but concentrate on the
higher education aspect of these activities.
Scope:
This topic specifically builds on previous projects TrainHy, HyProfessionals, HyFacts,
HyResponse, KnowHy. Vocational training institutes and infrastructures (depending on EU
member state educational structure), industry, research organisations and other relevant actors
along the technology value chains should be linked to the activities for feedback, voluntary
participation and implementation of the developed tools and structures in their context.
As a first objective activities under this topic would implement networks of lecturers, using the
electronic tools developed by FCH JU projects (AIP 2013: KnowHy, AIP 2015), knowledge
sharing, as well as development and and harmonisation of teaching materials. It would also drive
at benchmarking of teaching quality e.g. through external course evaluation, exams with
examiners from other universities in the network – much following the practices already
implemented at universities in several Memeber states (e.g. UK , DK).
Activities should clearly support the development of common teaching and experimental
material, also in cooperation with business and research organisations, for use in university and
high-level professional training. previous outcome from FCH JU projects (curriculum structure,
teaching content, e-learning platforms and tools) should be taken into account. Such content
could be integrated into (for instance) Massive Open Online Course platforms like OpenupEd.
MOOC’s can be tailored to address university level training but also the general public. The
project will focus on university level training, but also produce a general public version of one
MOOC as a prototype in validating whether such courses can readily be transferred to public
level or not.
A second objective to be addressed are cooperation with existing European university networks
with the goal of developing joint degree programmes in FC&H2 technologies throughout Europe.
Such activities would strongly be providing access to research and industrial infrastructures in
order to allow practical training in real environment. They shall incorporate concepts and
elements of the roadmaps developed in other EU contexts, specifically the SET-Plan Education
and Training Roadmap. The project should closely cooperate with EU member state educational
institutions that already have rigorous quality control and educational infrastructure, e.g. UK
HEI.
Expected Impact:
 Establishment of a network of universities (interacting also with partners outside of the
project consortium) participating in quality assurance of teaching material and using the
material in their (local) courses

Establishment of close links to business and research institutes in order to allow quality
and timely update of the curricula, access to physical or virtual research infrastructure for
training purposes, as well as mobility of students and staff

Mutual recognition of credit points for the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS
according to the Bologna process) throughout this network

Installation of a web-site hosting teaching material sourced from FCH JU projects
(TrainHy, HyProfessionals, HyFacts, HyResponse, KnowHy, AIP 2014 & 2015 projects)
for access by associated universities

Installation of a web-site suitable for e-learning or integration into existing, more general
platforms and performance of prototype courses using KnowHy and AIP 2015 project
results

Delivery of educational courses (integration of modules in existing curricula, new
courses, summer schools, H2FC infrastructure dissemination etc.) as developed by
TrainHy and HyProfessionals within the project duration (minimum for three years),
development of joint–degree programmes when of interest to the participating institutions

Establishment of a concept how sub-sets of the material or adapted versions can be used
for training of specialised staff, for instance with regulators, permit authorities, and
certification bodies and any other organisations active in the FCH area; development of at
least prototype courses covering this clientele

Development of a concept how the material provided by the project can be adopted in
MOOC’s for university level and general public address

Establish long lasting university cooperation within FC &H2 technologies throughout
Europe, e.g. joint degree programmes and common use of infrastructure
Other information: The consortium will ideally include experienced partners from the named
projects in order to supply continuity. It should be expanded to networks of higher education
institutions with a proven scope and capability in the field.
Within the project duration, the network shall be allowed to grow to include partners outside of
the consortium on their own expenses.
Indicative funding: The FCH JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 1.0 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.
Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other
amounts.
Number of projects: A maximum of 2 (two) projects may be funded under this topic.
Expected duration: Up to 4 years
Type of action: Coordination and Support action
FCH-04.2-2016: Measurement and assessment of the social acceptance of FCH technologies
and clients/customer needs throughout Europe
Specific challenge:
Fuel cells and hydrogen technologies have the potential for large deployment along Europe to
decarbonise critical sectors such as energy and transport. However, increasing social acceptance
at all levels, but especially concerning end users, is needed to ensure further introduction of these
technologies using appropriate financial mechanisms to turn first implementations feasible.
Some issues continue being a barrier for the acceptance of FCH technologies, such as safety or
initial investment and operation costs, while potential benefits remain unknown. In order that
FCH technologies are widely accepted and even needed by end users, the first step consists of
measuring and assessing their level of social acceptance among critical actors, stakeholders and
clients and consumers, determining the needs and room for improvement in the fields blocking
positive acceptance.
Sustainability is a key driver of hydrogen energy systems. Hence, economic growth, social
equality and environmental protection arise as central criteria against which every hydrogen
energy system has to be assessed prior to actual implementation. While significant efforts have
already been made regarding the methodological development and application of technoeconomic and environmental evaluations of this type of energy system, the assessment of social
aspects is still underdeveloped. In this respect, immediate needs include the development of a
robust and comprehensive methodological framework for the social assessment of hydrogen
energy technologies and systems as well as its application to provide decision makers with
relevant social and socio-economic indicators showing the social acceptance of hydrogen.
Furthermore, the implementation of these indicators in modelling tools to assess potential
scenarios based on alternative conditions such as financial mechanisms and funding
opportunities.
Within this context, different and varied techniques may be used to measure and assess social
impact(s). Hence, standardisation when evaluating these aspects is required, especially
concerning Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) of FCH technologies (similarly to what has
already been done for the environmental dimension within the HyGuide project, aimed at
standardising Life Cycle Assessment, LCA). SLCA approaches and indicators should then be
unified to measure correctly social impact(s) along the life cycle of FCH product systems, using
the results to act against barriers blocking social acceptance and initial implementation along the
EU.
An additional challenge is to present the opportunities and real barriers of FCH technologies to
end users and policy makers, i.e. the final parties betting for the technology. This requires a
unified and strategic reporting framework, with a specific communication campaign to make
these actors aware of the benefits of these systems.
Scope:
The overall objective of this topic is to develop a sound methodological framework for the social
assessment of hydrogen energy technologies and systems. Social and socio-economic indicators
supporting decision making have to be provided to relevant stakeholders through the application
of the method. These indicators shall refer to both the foreground level and the background level
by establishing a common set of assumptions and conditions. The harmonisation of the indicators
at these two levels will provide the assessment with a life-cycle perspective. In this sense, current
guidelines and recommendations in the field of SLCA approaches and indicators should be taken
into account. The implementation of the target indicators into energy models for the assessment
of alternative scenarios is also within the scope of the topic, thus giving insights into the
relevance of e.g. economic investment measures on social acceptance and market penetration. It
is expected that any project consortium will need to include experts in life cycle management of
FCH energy systems, development of performance indicators and energy modelling.
Proposals should address the following developments:

Development of a reference study based on a SWOT analysis for FCH technologies at the
EU and national levels, taking into consideration member state singularities. This study
should show the contrast between the strengths/opportunities and weaknesses/threats,
showing the potential of the technology against the barriers which block social
acceptance. The document will have two versions: one more general directed to end users
(clients and customers) with no technical contents and another one for regional and
national authorities as well as policy makers potentially investing in FCH solutions,
showing financial methods for achieving feasible implementation (e.g., matching of funds
from different sources, private funds search, high potential regions regarding hydrogen
inside each member state, etc.).

Dissemination of this reference study through a specific campaign targeting existing and
potential clients and customers of FCH installations, as well as policy makers, aiming at
reaching an audience of relevant actors as high as possible.

Analysis of the state of the art and screening of relevant social indicators for conducting
SLCA of FCH technologies.

Harmonisation of SLCA framework and alignment with current EU approach on LCC and
LCA (as developed in HyGuide, being consistent with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044), thus
facilitating the subsequent development of a unified FCH 2 JU guide for LCSA (Life
Cycle Sustainability Assessment).

Launch a campaign to measure and assess social acceptance of FCH technologies in order
to develop a database for SLCA application.

Application of the SLCA method to measure social impact of a range of FCH product
systems close to market (e.g., SOFC, PEMFC, Alkaline and PEM electrolysers), using as
input the database developed.

Development of a framework for the implementation of social and socio-economic
indicators into energy models, enabling the assessment of scenarios based on alternative
conditions such as financial mechanisms.

Development of a report with clear results and recommendations drawn from the
application of SLCA and the measurement campaign, establishing what is needed to
increase public awareness and social acceptance of hydrogen at the EU and national levels
(e.g., recommendations of marketing strategies for manufacturers to tackle detected
barriers for social acceptance).
Expected impact:
The project must lead to achieve the following impacts:

Explain the potential of FCH technologies to a sufficient mass of end users and policy
makers, as key drivers for future implementation, to achieve social acceptance. At least 15
member states involved in FCH technologies should be measured with regard to social
acceptance of FCH technologies.

Supply a robust method for (life cycle) social assessment tailored to hydrogen energy
technologies and systems, and ready for further use at the EU and member state level.

Supply social and socio-economic indicators to decision makers at policy and industry
levels, as well as to public society.

Supply a framework for the evolution and interpretation of social acceptance and market
penetration as a function of key [potential] decisions from relevant stakeholders
(governments, leading industries, etc.).

Develop a set of specific recommendations and actions for increasing acceptance of FCH
technologies with clear targets and actions to be undertaken in the short term.
Other Information: the consortium should include at least one representing entity of a region
involved in FCH technologies. Building on existing awareness and communication actions in the
EU for the social acceptance measurement campaign is encouraged.
Indicative Funding: The FCH JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 2.0 million would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately
Number of Projects: A maximum of 1 project
Expected Duration: 3 years
Type of action: Coordination and Support Action
The conditions related to this topic are provided in the previous chapter and in the General
Annexes.
FCH-04.3-2016: Pre-normative research (PNR) activities, Residual Life Assessments of CGH2
Tanks extracted from Demonstration Projects
Specific challenge:
Composite high pressure vessels are the most implemented technology for hydrogen storage
systems, especially in embedded storage systems concerning automotive sectors. However,
continued research is needed to evaluate and quantify the performance and safety level of these
vessels in operation and define reproducible way to assess these parameters correlated with the
practical usage profile. As of today, a growing number of demonstration projects involving
hydrogen technologies (buses, cars, highest pressurized buffer for refueling stations, stationary
applications etc. ) are ongoing and expected in Europe, financed partly by the FCH-JU.
Monitoring and defining of technical monitoring aspects of tank pressure vessels should be in
place providing important feedback regarding evolution of the performance of the system in
correlation with exact user profile. Such as those monitoring exists already in case of fuel cell
systems, but no such monitoring activities have been put in place for the storage system and
hence very little return of experience exists on composite vessels neither in operation, nor at
various stage of their life until their withdrawal from service. In order to retrieve most benefits
from these past or on-going demonstration projects as for easing the social acceptability or
eventually reduce costs of these storage systems, it is important to demonstrate with quantitative
data for various usages that these systems are secure, reliable and durable throughout their service
life-time.
Furthermore, for composite storage systems, there is as of today no relevant protocol of
diagnostics or maintenance. Only the very conservative choice of switching each suspicious tank
with a brand new one is in place. This solution is likely not viable with a growing demand of
hydrogen systems in Europe. There is an actual need for assessing the performance of in-service
vessels and develop Non-destructive control strategies for diagnosis, both for periodic inspection
and post-incident.
Such an assessment will provide a valuable snapshot of the actual status of this in-demonstration
technology, along with important recommendations for the integration of the storage system, the
management and monitoring of safety issues as well as standards for qualification and inspection.
Scope:




Collect high pressure composite vessels used in demonstration projects at different stages
of their life and exposed to different usage profiles
Characterize the vessels (visual inspection, volumetric expansion, tightness, multimaterial
interfaces, material integrity etc.) to define monitoring measures.
Correlate accurate usage profile specific to each storage system with their integrity status.
Identify and evaluate non-destructive examination methods relevant for integrity
diagnostics and associated criteria of residual life performance and safety


Identify critical parameter to monitor for future tank management systems (e.g. typicl
failure mechanism).
Evaluate the limitations of current storage systems in terms of existing and/or actually
developing standards

Expected impact




Enhanced understanding of the correlation between user profile and durability
Define testing methodes and evaluation criterion
Improved criterion for assessment of performance and safety for vessels in-service
Recommendations for regulations and standardization (integration, operational window,
certification testing and inspection and re-qualification)
 Recommendations to research and industry community on limitations of the current
storage systems.
Proposals should build upon experience from previously funded projects on pre-normative
research for high pressure vessels such as Hycomp, Hypactor, … as well as integrate key
contributors of the ongoing demonstration projects with partner profiles such as car and buses
manufacturers, HRS manufacturers and operators, system integrators, vessels manufacturers etc.
The project should establish links to large demonstration projects (H2 Mobility, H2 moves…).
Other information: To be eligible for participation a consortium must contain at least one
constituent entity of the Industry or Research Grouping. The collaboration with existing or past
research projects which based on pressure vessels as research object should be envisaged as well
as collaboration with respective industry
Indicative funding: The FCH JU considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU
of EUR 3.0 million would allow the specific challenges to be addressed appropriately
Number of projects: A maximum of 1 project may be funded under this topic
Expected duration: 3 years
Type of action: Research and Innovation Action