Next generation of reversible proton conducting ceramic cells and stacks for efficient energy applications at ≥1 kW scale

Proposals must develop and validate reversible proton-conducting or co-ionic ceramic cells and stacks that work in both fuel-cell and electrolysis modes, reaching at least a 1 kW power class with stacks built from multiple repeating units, tested for at least 2,000 hours under conditions representative of at least two real use cases, each assessed with a full environmental life-cycle analysis. Hydrogen separation or hydrogen pumping applications are explicitly out of scope. Target performance includes a cell current density above 0.75 A/cm², stack current density above 0.5 A/cm², degradation under 1% per 1,000 hours at cell level and under 2.5% at stack level, and faradaic efficiency of at least 84% in electrolysis mode. Proposals must go beyond seven named prior European projects — eCOCO2, WINNER, PROTOSTACK, GAMER, HySPIRE, PEPPER and ECOLEFINS — and address reducing or recycling critical and strategic raw materials in the cell and stack design.