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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IDEAL (InDustrializing Elcogenâ€™s Affordable and durabLe SOFC stack)

Teaser

Summary

Phase 1 of the overall innovation project enhanced and verified actions needed to commercialize Elcogenâ€™s stack technologies. It produced critical, up-to-date information on the business framework Elcogen is operating in, and strengthened strategic partnerships with key suppliers. It also provided detailed information on the customer acceptance process for new stack products, and thus supporting Elcogen to better plan and manage its operations for the commercialization.
In Phase 1, the key objective was to verify the technological feasibility and commercial viability of Elcogenâ€™s SOFC stack technology.

Work performed

During the Phase 1 feasibility assessment, the work that was carried out consisted of four parts. The first part included customer visits and interviews in Asia and Europe. Customers confirmed their strong interest toward Elcogenâ€™s state-of-the-art technologies, and mutual business benefits were identified. Next steps consist of joint planning for and execution of technology evaluation, which has already started with first customers.
The second part included key supplier visits and interviews. Targets for commercial viability of the end products were assessed and confirmed. At the same time mutual business benefits were addressed to enable sustainable commercial viability for Elcogenâ€™s stack products.
The third part consisted of a multi-staged market study covering customers, competitors, end users, and the overall SOFC market with a special focus in Central and Western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, U.S. and South Korea. Several market studies and reports were obtained and utilized. In addition, participation in the key global fuel cell events took place.
The fourth and final part consisted of enhancing the business plan based on the input from the work performed in the three other parts (see above). Special focus was laid on improving the commercialization plan including a sustainable and scalable set-up for operations.
Elcogenâ€™s role in the project was the execution of the project tasks, dissemination, exploitation of the project results, and management and coordination of the project. The action resulted also in three news articles, one magazine story, one scientific article, and four public appearances. In addition to these, a â€œcapacitationâ€ analysis was conducted by a consult working under assignment from EU, and coaching services were initiated and will continue after the end of the action.

Final results

Business plan fundamentals have been proven to be correct by the work done in the action. Enhancements and details around commercialization have been produced. Expected final result of commercial availability is on target. Commercial potential has been expanded based on the Phase 1 action, e.g., through wider scope of feasible applications.
Elcogenâ€™s stack technologies will bring higher efficiency, lower cost and better durability to the energy production. These improvements will enable solid oxide fuel cell system manufacturers to compete against other energy production technologies, and ensure truly environmentally friendly operation, for example, by reducing greenhouse gases and saving primary energy.
So far all the work within the action have fully supported planning and development of the activities aiming for the targeted outputs (units sold, sustainable profitability), outcomes and eventually the socio-economic impacts. For example, Elcogenâ€™s suppliers will gain access to a new business of fuel cells, and Elcogen will indirectly support the creation of jobs at suppliers, subcontractors and other interest groups in the hundreds by 2020.