A meeting of the FreeHydroCells project General Assembly took place recently in Aachen, Germany from 9th-10th April 2024. Project partner AMO GmbH hosted the meeting, which focused on scientific progress and ramping up of key activities as the project progresses into the next phase.
Project partner AMO GmbH hosted the 2-day science-focused meeting on April 9th-10th. The meeting was attended by representatives from all consortium partners, spanning Germany, France, Italy and Ireland. The aim of a General Assembly meeting is to ensure that all partners and members of the project consortium are aligned in their research efforts, and are aware of potential obstacles or risks. Meetings like these are particularly vital in a “high risk / high reward” project like FreeHydroCells, which is heavily dependent on robust interconnections and collaborative efforts across institutions.
On Day 1, key updates on activities and progress were presented to the consortium from partners in Work Packages 1, 2 and 3, including the status of each task against agreed work plans. Much of the discussions centred around TMD / TCO materials, a vital element in the design of the project’s core concept of a buried many junction photoelectrochemical cell. Meanwhile, WP3 focused on design, fabrication and testing of the proposed Bath/Flow BMJ PEC cell chamber subsystem.
Day 1 also saw a meeting of the project’s Executive Board, which is responsible for monitoring the progress of all WPs, assessing scientific decisions, and where necessary implementing corrective actions to meet the work plan and milestones, and guaranteeing the quality of project results.
Day 2 got off to an exciting start, as the project held the inaugural meeting of its External Expert Advisory Board. Meeting annually, the EEAB provides strategic, independent advice on FreeHydroCells’ direction, practicality, and outputs. It plays a hugely important role in the potential for future successful upscaling and commercialisation of the FreeHydroCells concept.
Thereafter followed a discussion and progress update on technical Work Package 4, which focuses on refining gas collection, integration and testing in the proposed BMJ-PEC cell system. Project management and impact activities were also covered in the day’s agenda, with a particular focus on the upcoming first project reporting period, and a crucial first Review Meeting with the project funding authority.
In the afternoon, the group took a tour of the impressive clean lab facilities, equipment and operational capabilities at AMO GmbH, further highlighting the potential for integration and knowledge sharing among consortium partners. The meeting concluded with a walking tour of the historic cathedral city of Aachen, taking in sights like the seat of Charlemagne dating from the 8th century AD.
To summarise, this meeting marked a fruitful continuation of partnership among the FreeHydroCells consortium, serving as a catalyst for advancing scientific endeavours in the upcoming months.
