Editorial
Für den Inhalt der Angaben zeichnet die Projektleitung verantwortlich.
Cooperation
This project, funded by Gebert Rüf Stiftung, is supported by the following project partners: Venturekick, Innosuisse; Innovaud; FIT; EPFL; HEIG-VD; INERGIO Technologies SA; SPEI; Enable grant EPFL
Project data
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Project no: GRS-056/20
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Amount of funding: CHF 150'000
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Approved: 30.06.2020
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Duration: 09.2020 - 08.2021
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Area of activity:
InnoBooster, seit 2018
Project management
Abstract
In our increasingly electrified and digitalized world, providing electrical power in a reliable, clean and cost-effective manner is yet a tough technical and logistical challenge for many industries. Many applications ranging from IoT devices in remote locations (e.g. mountain, arctic area), mobile surveillance or telecommunication systems to autonomous robotic systems are still in an urge to find efficient power sources that can provide reliable electricity with high autonomy.
We have taken and unique approach for miniaturize one of the most efficient fuel cell technologies, Solid oxide fuel cells. We have introduced a cost-effctive solution to reliably deliver electricy in compact and lightweight format. To take our product to the market and validate our technology we plan to build our first minimum viable product to run pilot project with our potential customers.
What is special about the project?
Fuel cells have been a notoriously reliable power source first used in space application especially in the Apollo program but have been struggling to reach commercial markets until today due mainly to cost constraints and rare fuels. At INERGIO we have taken a unique approach towards miniaturizing SOFC for small-sized and mobile applications. Our technology allows the use of commercial fuels with high energy density such as butane, the same fuel that we have in the cigarette lighter, providing an eco-friendly solution. Our fuel flexibility allows us to benefit from cheap commerical fuel now and easily move to hydrogen in near future once the infrastrucutre is ready. With our technology we are not only introducing a new level of autonomy but also we pave the path towards green energy.
To build a miniaturized-SOFC system we propose a novel approach with a unique competitive advantage of integrating the complete SOFC system on a space-grade glass/ceramic composite substrate. With this method, we are addressing the main challenges of SOFC miniaturization, i.e. severe thermal stress, low scalability, complex system integration, packaging, and high cost of fabrication that eventually prevented micro-SOFCs to turn into a marketable product.
Status/Results
Encouraged by the interest of several potential customers, our critical path right now is being able to deliver a solution reaching the basic requirements expected for a pilot product. Currently, the project is in the phase of developing a minimum viable product (MVP). During the Innobooster project, INERGIO will focus on translating the functional MVP into a ready for certification product. It will consist of product development iterations mostly based on pilot projects and customer feedback.
Publications
None so far
Media
Links
Persons involved in the project
Dr. Mahmoud Hadad, project leader
Luc Conti, project collaborature
Prof. Jean-François Affolter
Prof. Mauro Carpita
Last update to this project presentation 02.12.2020