The ELECTRIVERT project launch meeting took place on August 22, 2024, bringing together the various project partners.
The ELECTRIVERT project has two objectives:
- To develop the available energy from biomass (primarily agricultural biogas)
- To promote its conversion into electricity using innovative SOFC fuel cell systems.
The ELECTRIVERT project is an ambitious three-year initiative highlighting cross-border collaboration between Switzerland and France to develop biogas into green electricity and heat. By conducting a thorough assessment of biogas production, development, and distribution in the Interreg CH-FR region, the project compares the policy strategies of the two countries and encourages the creation of new producers as well as the installation of fuel cells in homes and small local farms. In parallel, ELECTRIVERT is focusing on optimizing SOFC fuel cells, developing prototype cells and stacks adapted for biogas, using advanced technologies such as ultrathin layer deposition and semi-automated spraying. As an engineering school, we are contributing to the development of a semi-automated system for these processes, thus supporting technological innovation while having a direct impact on local regions, promoting a sustainable energy transition, and utilizing local agricultural resources.
The University of Burgundy Europe has positioned itself as the lead partner/project sponsor for France, and Professor Gilles Caboche from the ICB Laboratory is the project manager for France. The School of Engineering of the HES-SO Valais-Wallis has positioned itself as the lead partner/project sponsor for Switzerland, and Professor Haifa Sallem is the project manager for Switzerland.
Total budget: €1,015,110
Start date: September 1, 2024, for a duration of 3 years;
The project is supported by the ERDF for France and by the cantons of Valais and Vaud, as well as the Swiss Confederation, for Switzerland;
The ELECTRIVERT project is supported by the European territorial cooperation program Interreg VI France-Switzerland and has received a European grant of €452,406 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as well as federal funds amounting to CHF 140,000 and cantonal funds amounting to CHF 110,000.
