IREC deploys 3D-printed ceramic SOCs for hydrogen technologies in pilot production

The Catalan energy research institute IREC has commissioned the Merce Lab, a new pilot production line for ceramic energy converters that relies consistently on 3D printing. At its core are so-called Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs), which can be used both as fuel cells and as high-temperature electrolysers and thus play a key role in hydrogen systems. The line is explicitly aimed at the transition from laboratory-scale manufacturing to pre-industrial production.

Technically, the Merce Lab is based on the additive build-up of functional ceramics. Instead of conventionally sintering SOCs from planar layers, ceramic inks are deposited layer by layer with full geometric freedom. This makes it possible to realize channel structures and thin-walled support geometries that reduce material consumption, component volume and weight while at the same time increasing the active cell area per volume. IREC points out that this results in higher energy densities, which is particularly relevant for mobile applications and compact storage solutions in the hydrogen sector.

The process chain in the Merce Lab covers the entire value creation process: from the formulation of the ceramic printing inks, through cell manufacturing and the production of the metallic interconnects, all the way to stacking and final testing of the modules.

According to Marc Torrell, head of Merce Lab at IREC, “This facility positions us as pioneers in SOC technology manufacturing on a global scale,” adding that “it represents a disruptive step in manufacturing processes and the performance of ceramic-based devices, opening the door to the development of new SOC systems for applications that could not previously meet the required specifications, such as maritime or air transport.”

The pilot line is part of the IPCEI project Tecnopropia and is supported, among others, by the electrolyzer company H2B2. IREC states the current capacity at around 2 MW of SOC power per year; by scaling up the line, higher capacities are to be achieved in the future. The targeted manufacturing costs of around 800 euros per kilowatt are intended to enable hydrogen prices of less than 4 euros per kilogram.

Another aspect is the choice of materials: the SOC stacks are to be produced without cobalt, nickel, rare earths or other critical raw materials. In view of the expected demand for electrolyzers and fuel cells in the triple-digit gigawatt range by 2030, IREC sees this as an opportunity to reduce dependencies in supply chains. In parallel with the pilot line, the institute is preparing a spin-off with Oxhyd Energy that is intended to bring SOC fuel cells into commercial use and could thus further strengthen the role of 3D printing in the hydrogen economy.