By 2050, hydrogen could represent up to 24% of energy demand in Europe. To meet this ambition, the development of efficient, sustainable, and recyclable storage solutions is becoming a strategic priority.
The ECOHYDRO project, funded by the Horizon Europe program, is fully in line with this dynamic.

A technological challenge to support the energy transition

With a significant increase in the use of hydrogen, particularly in the mobility sector, millions of pressurized tanks will be required. These systems will meet several requirements: mechanical strength, safety, lifespan, recyclability, and low cost.

The ECOHYDRO project, bringing together 15 partners from 7 countries, aims to address these challenges through the development of:

– A recyclable thermoplastic resin with advanced features (self-repairability, fire resistance).

– A new, more economical filament winding process for the manufacture of composite tanks.

– Integrated sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms for monitoring the structural condition of tanks in real time.

– A composite recycling technology enabling the recovery and reuse of end-of-life carbon fibers.

CANOE’s role in ECOHYDRO

As a technology center specializing in composite materials, CANOE is heavily involved in several aspects of the project:

– Development of innovative thermoplastic resins that meet the project’s technical requirements: good impregnation, reactivity at room temperature, low cost, etc.

– Supply of wrapped coupons made from these resins and reinforcements (carbon, basalt), testing flame-retardant, thermally insulating, and self-healing formulations.

– Construction of laboratory-scale demonstrators, followed by non-destructive testing to evaluate their performance.

– Study of the mechanical and physicochemical recyclability of these materials to ensure their circularity.

The ongoing work within CANOE has already enabled an important first step: coupons have been produced using carbon and basalt fibers, as well as a thermal insulation formulation integrated into an Elium® resin matrix. The evaluation of the properties of these coupons is currently being undertaken or is underway by the other project partners.

Towards smart and circular hydrogen tanks

With ECOHYDRO, CANOE is actively contributing to building a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable energy future. The project combines materials innovation, artificial intelligence, and recycling to imagine the tanks of the future: lightweight, robust, smart, and fully recyclable.

📢 Stay connected to follow the progress of the ECOHYDRO project and CANOE’s role in this energy transformation!
https://ecohydro-project.eu

Consortium : IMT Nord Europe | CANOE – Le Centre Technologique Nouvelle Aquitaine Composites & Matériaux Avancés | Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) | Wrocław University of Science and Technology | Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) | Arkema | M.D.P. MATERIALS DESIGN & PROCESSING S.R.L. | Mahytec | Promat | Basaltex | Airbus | TEMSA | FEV Group | Electra Commercial Vehicles Ltd