The ENDURION project officially launched with a successful Kick-Off Meeting (KOM) held at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Vienna. This Horizon Europe-funded initiative brings together a strong consortium of leading research institutions and industry partners from across Europe to develop a new generation of pressurised Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysers (AEMEL) based entirely on earth-abundant and scalable materials.
ENDURION’s mission is to overcome existing AEMEL limitations by integrating advances in material science, machine learning-based design, and scalable system architecture. The project aims to deliver a next-generation pressurised AEMEL with 30% higher efficiency, 30% longer durability, and the ability to reach hydrogen production costs as low as €4.50/kg H₂.
Key innovations will include the development of:
- Sustainable porous transport layers
- CRM-free catalysts and ionic liquid co-catalysts
- Environmentally friendly, bio-based membranes
- Novel electrochemical cell and stack designs for up-scalability
In the long term, ENDURION aims to significantly boost the market viability of AEMEL technology for green hydrogen production, reduce European dependency on critical raw materials, and contribute to the EU’s decarbonisation goals by cutting global CO₂ emissions.
The Kick-Off Meeting provided an opportunity for all partners to align on the work plan, discuss integration strategies between materials development and cell engineering, and define priorities for the first reporting period. It marked a strong start, with active participation and technical exchanges that set the tone for a collaborative and ambitious path forward.
Partners present at the KOM included:
AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Coordinator), LEITAT, POLITO, CNRS, UNIVERSITÉ DE PAU, INSTRUMENTACIÓN Y COMPONENTES SA, DE NORA, WASABI-INNOVATIONS, IOLITEC, and ARKEMA.
Next steps will focus on advancing the development of novel cell components, validating material performance in lab conditions, and initiating modelling and system integration tasks. The consortium will also begin the design of a pressurised electrolyser prototype for testing in real-world scenarios.
Stay tuned for updates on this promising project as ENDURION helps pave the way toward a more sustainable and efficient hydrogen economy.
