IREC – Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya has officially launched Merce Lab, the world’s first pre-industrial pilot plant dedicated to the manufacturing of ceramic energy devices using advanced 3D printing technologies. The new facility represents a major milestone in the development of next-generation solid oxide cell (SOC) systems for renewable hydrogen production and utilization. Designed to bridge the gap between research and industrial deployment, Merce Lab integrates state-of-the-art ceramic additive manufacturing, advanced deposition techniques, nanomaterial synthesis, and accelerated lifetime testing within a single infrastructure. The pilot plant builds upon technological advances achieved through several European projects, including HyP3D, and further strengthens Europe’s strategic capabilities in clean hydrogen technologies. Developed in collaboration with partners such as H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies and supported by initiatives including the Tecnopropia project (IPCEI programme), CLEANHYPRO, HyP3D, COMECOCO2, and H2SHIFT, the launch of Merce Lab positions Catalonia and Europe at the forefront of innovative hydrogen technology manufacturing and industrial-scale SOC development.
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The project is supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its members.