Project duration: 1 January 2020 – 31 May 2023
Objective
The project ALPE aims at developing and commercializing a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) power plant yielding 5 kW, a durability of 5000 hours, and including 0.5 g of Pt instead of 1 g or more. This is achieved with radically new hierarchical nanostructured electrocatalysts (ECs) promoting the electrochemical processes of the PEMFC. ALPE covers the value chain from the ECs to the assembly and validation of the PEMFC power plant.
The solution (technology)
The project ALPE will yield a “Fuel Cell”, i.e., an electrochemical device fed with hydrogen and producing electrical energy very efficiently and without pollution. Today “Fuel Cells” are not widespread and are very expensive. Indeed, they include a large amount of platinum, that is precious and scarce. ALPE will halve the amount of Pt used in a “Fuel Cell”. Thus, the “Fuel Cell” devised in ALPE will be more affordable, and will be durable and powerful enough to power a small forklift.
Partnership
- University of Padova (Lead partner), Italy
- BRETON S.p.A., Italy
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-1 (CNRS-INP), France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-3 (CNRS-UL), France
- Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. (CRF – C.R.F.), Italy
- French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, France
- INPG Enterprise SA, France
- Grenoble Institute of Technology (INP), France
- SYMBIO, France
- University of Lorraine, France
- University of Warsaw, Poland