Imagine the heart of a hydrogen car as a stack of plates that manage energy. Right now, these plates are expensive and mostly imported, like relying on a single foreign supplier for a critical part. This project uses AI and smart factory lines to make these plates from sustainable plastics and bio-carbons right here in Europe, making them cheaper and greener to produce.
Hydrogen fuel cell adoption is slowed by the high cost and weight of bipolar plates, which are currently imported and produced using carbon-heavy, inefficient processes.
Two TRL7 pilot lines for composite plates and a digital backbone featuring digital twins and inline quality assurance.
If you are an LCV manufacturer dealing with high fuel cell costs and supply chain risks — this project developed composite bipolar plates that reduce the cost of the stack, which currently spends 40% of its budget on plates. This allows for more affordable hydrogen-powered fleets.
If you are an aircraft developer dealing with the heavy weight of traditional fuel cells — this project developed ultra-thin, high-performance thermoplastic plates. These reduce the stack weight, where plates typically make up 80% of the total mass.
If you are a parts supplier dealing with high scrap rates and long production cycles — this project developed a digital backbone with inline monitoring. This ensures first-time-right manufacturing and cuts CO2 emissions per plate by up to 60%.
Bipolar plates currently account for 40% of the stack cost. This project aims to make them more cost-competitive through sustainable composite materials and efficient manufacturing.
The project is demonstrated on two TRL7 pilot lines: one for thermoplastic/carbon plates and another for bio-based thermoset plates.
Based on available project data, the project includes a work package for exploitation and market uptake aligned with the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and Clean Hydrogen JU.
Yes, the project includes a dedicated work package for standards road-mapping to ensure certification-ready quality.
The project period runs from June 2026 to May 2030, with the goal of strengthening EU sovereignty by 2030.
The consortium is heavily industry-weighted with 16 partners, where 56% (9 partners) are industrial entities, including 5 SMEs. This high industry ratio, combined with a mix of partners from 8 countries, suggests a strong focus on commercial viability and direct integration into automotive and aviation supply chains rather than purely academic research.
Contact RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB
Contact us to connect with the AIM-PLATES consortium for pilot line access.
