PROTOSTACK will create a radically new, compact and modular PCCEL stack design with integrated hot-box for operation and delivery of hydrogen up to 30 bar. The stack will be demonstrated at 5 kW and provide a pathway for further scale-up to systems of hundreds of kW. These achievements will be an important proof of technological feasibility that will attest to the advancement of PCCEL technology from TRL 2 to TRL 4. To achieve its ambitious goals, the project consortium gathers research and industry partners that are world-leading within proton ceramic technologies, with recognized expertise relevant to the research and development of electrolysers, membrane-reactors, materials, electrochemistry, and process engineering. The overall consortium will engage in wide communication and dissemination activities to ensure maximum impact of the project’s outcomes and the industry partners have high ambition for business exploitation and commercialisation of the PROTOSTCK technology.

Shipping is responsible for the emission of about 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. The drastic reduction of GHG emissions from ships has been set as one of the urgent targets to achieve the EU Green deal objectives. As a result, the maritime industry, which is a hard-to-decarbonize sector, is actively seeking for alternate solutions/technology which can make it more climate friendly but at the same time does not compromise on the current performance levels. Leveraging novel concepts as well as assets from former projects and initiatives, the project FuelSOME focuses on establishing the technological feasibility of a flexible, scalable, and multi-fuel capable energy generation system based on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) technology specially catered for long-distance maritime shipping. This system will be able to operate on Ammonia, Methanol and Hydrogen and their mixtures for which short and long-term sustainable supply pathways will be explored. Finally, on a broader level, an in-depth and detailed investigation on the environmental, social, and economic benefits of developing such a system for the European industry, the maritime sector and the citizens will be carried out. The future roadmap of the project is that the outcomes generated will not only benefit the maritime industry but can also serve as a blueprint/launchpad for implementing the same technology in other hard to abate emission sectors and/or, thereby enabling multi-fuel energy generators to become the norm in the future. The consortium comprises 8 partners: 7 partners from 6 European Member States and 1 partner from a non-associated third country (Switzerland). The FuelSOME consortium unites the necessary multidisciplinary knowledge, expertise, skills, and resources to constitute a representative value chain of actors, which together can achieve the project’s ambitious objectives.

Hydrogen is an energy carrier with great potential for clean, efficient power in transport applications. Hydrogen can be obtained from different sources, which in combination with fuel cells it can improve energy efficiency especially when hydrogen is produced by renewable energy sources. The action proposed tries to introduce hydrogen as an alternative fuel in the port industry. The H2Ports project is an Action aligned with the needs and objectives of the European Commission and the port industry. The aim is to provide efficient solutions to facilitate a fast evolution from a fossil fuel based industry towards a low carbon and zero-emission sector. Hydrogen has been proved in other logistics and transportation sectors as a solution to power machinery and vehicles, therefore the action proposes different pilots to bridge the gap between prototypes and pre-commercial products: • The first prototype will comprise a reach stacker powered with hydrogen and tested under a real life trial, in a Port Container Terminal. • The second prototype will comprise a yard tractor equipped with a set of fuel cells. The design will enable the tractor to perform different operations like container horizontal transport or ro-ro loading/unloading operations. • The third prototype will comprise a mobile Hydrogen supply station, which will provide the needed fuel under the appropriate thermodynamic conditions for guaranteeing the continuous working cycles of the abovementioned equipment. The H2Ports project would also have a transversal objective that consists on developing a sustainable hydrogen supply chain at the port, coordinating all actors involved: customers, hydrogen producers, suppliers, etc. The expected results of the project are to test and validate hydrogen-powered solutions in the port-maritime industry, with the aim of having applicable and real solutions without affecting to port operations while producing zero local emissions.

PROMETEO aims at producing green hydrogen from renewable heat & power sources by high temperature electrolysis in areas of low electricity prices associated to photovoltaic or wind. Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOE) is a highly efficient technology to convert heat & power into hydrogen from water usually validated in steady-state operation. However, the heat for the steam generation may not be available for the operation of the SOE when inexpensive power is offered (e.g. off-grid peak, photovoltaics or wind). Thus, the challenge is to optimize the coupling of the SOE with two intermittent sources: non-programmable renewable electricity and high-temperature solar heat from Concentrating Solar (CS) systems with Thermal Energy Storage (TES) to supply solar heat when power is made available. In PROMETEO a fully integrated optimized system will be developed, where the SOE combined with the TES and ancillary components will efficiently convert intermittent heat & power sources to hydrogen. The design will satisfy different criteria: end-users’ needs, sustainability aspects, regulatory & safety concerns, scale-up and engineering issues. The players of the value-chain will play key roles in the partnership created around the project: from developers and research organizations, to the electrolyzer supplier, system integrator/engineering and end-users. A fully-equipped modular prototype with at least 25 kWe SOE (about 15 kg/day hydrogen production) and TES (for 24 hours operation) will be designed, built, connected to representative external power/heat sources and validated in real context (TRL 5). Particular attention will be given to partial load operation, transients and hot stand-by periods. Industrial end-users will lead to techno-economic & sustainability studies to apply the technology upscaled (up to 100 MW) in on-grid & off-grid scenarios for different end-uses: utility for grid balancing, power-to-gas, and hydrogen as feedstock for the fertilizer & chemical industry.

Hydrogen fuel cells market potentials in the maritime sector have been demonstrated in the last years with several vessels flagship projects. Despite hydrogen is a worldwide considered a valid option to reach the emission reduction targets, also part of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy, a regulatory framework applicable to hydrogen fuelled ships is not yet available. E-SHyIPS brings together the Hydrogen and maritime stakeholders and international experts, through an Advisory Board, to gather new knowledge based on regulatory framework review and experimental data on ship design, safety systems, material and components and bunkering procedures. The approach is "vessel independent", in order to avoid the burdens of customized projects, and is focused on the risk and safety assessment methodologies. Based on this, e-SHyIPS will define a pre-standardization plan for IGF code update for the hydrogen-based fuels passenger ships and a roadmap for the boost of Hydrogen economy in the maritime sector.