Team SOLID is launching the next phase of iron-based hydrogen storage through the Ijzerkracht pilot project: the Steam Iron Reactor 2
TU/e student team to unveil plans for a 2.5 MWh energy storage system during SOLID Event 2026
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands – 12 June 2026 – Team SOLID, the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) student team developing iron-based hydrogen storage technology, is taking a major step towards real-world implementation with the launch of a new pilot: Steam Iron Reactor 2. The new system will scale the team’s technology to a 2.5 MWh energy storage system and demonstrate its potential for future industrial applications.
The project forms part of Ijzerkracht, a new consortium initiative bringing together twelve partners from industry, research and education to advance innovative energy storage solutions. The consortium includes Team SOLID, TU/e, Avans University of Applied Sciences, HZ University of Applied Sciences and a range of industrial and innovation partners.
As part of the project, Team SOLID will develop a 2.5 MWh iron-based hydrogen storage system housed within a 20-foot container and test the technology at three locations over the coming years to validate it under real-world conditions.
To put this into perspective, 2.5 MWh is comparable to the daily electricity output of around 2,000 modern solar panels. For Team SOLID, this marks the transition from laboratory-scale validation to a pilot system that can demonstrate how iron-based hydrogen storage could help make future industrial energy systems more sustainable.
The consortium and SOLID’s plans will be formally unveiled during SOLID Event 2026: The SOLID Hydrogen Future, taking place on 12 June at the High Tech Campus Eindhoven. The announcement will be presented by Sam Liebregts, Team Manager of Team SOLID, with the first step towards the pilot project revealed by Patrick Groothuis, Vice-President of Eindhoven University of Technology, and Bas Maes, Provincial Executive for Climate & Energy at the Province of North Brabant.
“With this project, we are moving beyond laboratory-scale development and taking an important step towards demonstrating our technology in real-world environments,” said Sam Liebregts, Team Manager of Team SOLID. “It represents years of work by hundreds of students and shows how student-driven innovation can, and in my opinion will, play a key role in the energy transition.”
Team SOLID’s technology uses iron pellets as a circular energy carrier. Renewable energy can be stored by using hydrogen to convert iron oxide into iron, effectively storing energy in a reusable material. When the iron is later oxidised, energy in the form of hydrogen is released, creating a circular process that enables the safe storage, transport and use of hydrogen.
The Steam Iron Reactor 2 will be the largest system Team SOLID has developed to date. The pilot is intended to demonstrate the technical and practical potential of iron-based hydrogen storage for future industrial applications and marks a major next step in bringing the technology closer to real-world implementation.
A decade of student-led innovation
The Ijzerkracht project marks the latest milestone in Team SOLID’s decade-long journey to develop iron-based energy storage technology. Since its foundation in 2016, the team has brought together hundreds of students from various disciplines to advance the technology through successive stages of research, engineering and system development.
Team SOLID also served as the starting point for RIFT, a spin-off that is now commercialising iron powder combustion technology. This technology was originally researched within SOLID between 2016 and 2020, before three team members founded RIFT in 2020 to bring it to market. Following this spin-off, Team SOLID shifted its focus towards iron-based hydrogen storage.
What began as an ambitious student initiative has evolved into one of TU/e’s largest student teams, with students contributing to technology development, system engineering, project management and business development. Today, Team SOLID continues to serve as a platform where students gain hands-on experience whilst helping to advance sustainable energy technologies.
“Student teams provide a unique environment where technical talent, entrepreneurship and societal challenges come together,” said Saleh Mohammadi, Professor of Renewable Energy Carriers at Avans and consortium lead of Ijzerkracht. “The Ijzerkracht project demonstrates what can be achieved when students, researchers, industry and government work together to accelerate the development of promising energy technologies.”
From laboratory concept to pilot-scale demonstration
The Ijzerkracht consortium project, with a total project value of €3 million, marks a significant milestone in the development of Team SOLID’s technology. With Team SOLID as the largest project stakeholder, Ijzerkracht represents the largest student-led project to date. Whilst previous work focused on proving the concept and refining the underlying systems, the new project will focus on scaling the technology and demonstrating its performance in practical settings.
Over the coming years, Team SOLID will develop and test the 2.5 MWh system at three pilot sites, gaining valuable insights into its technical performance, operational requirements and potential industrial applications.
The project represents the team’s most significant technology demonstration to date and is intended to help bridge the gap between research and future implementation.
The challenges and opportunities involved in making this transition will form the central theme of SOLID Event 2026: The SOLID Hydrogen Future. The event will bring together students, researchers, industry representatives, partners, policymakers and alumni to explore how promising energy technologies can successfully progress from laboratory development to practical application.
The programme will feature a keynote presentation by Jan Hubers, RTTP Manager for Funding & Public Affairs at RIFT. RIFT originated from Team SOLID six years ago and has since grown into an independent venture focused on bringing emission-free industrial heat, generated from burning iron powder, to the market. His presentation will reflect on the journey from student innovation to large-scale implementation, including the key lessons learnt along the way.
The programme will also include a panel discussion with representatives from academia, government, industry and student innovation. Speakers will include, amongst others, Patrick Groothuis, Vice-President of Eindhoven University of Technology, and Daan de Cloe, Managing Director of International Business at Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij. Together, they will explore how emerging technologies can progress from research and student-led development towards real-world implementation.
The event will conclude with the unveiling of the Steam Iron Reactor 2 20-foot container by Patrick Groothuis, VP TUe, and Bas Maes, Provincial Executive for Climate & Energy at the Province of North Brabant. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the interactive container and learn more about the technology, the consortium partners and the roadmap towards pilot deployment.
SOLID Event 2026: The SOLID Hydrogen Future
Date: 12 June 2026 | Time: 15:00–19:00
Location: High Tech Campus Eindhoven
For students: 2 MyFuture points
Tickets
About Team SOLID
Team SOLID is a student team from Eindhoven University of Technology developing iron-based hydrogen storage technology. By combining engineering, entrepreneurship and collaboration with partners from industry, government and academia, the team works to accelerate the development of sustainable energy solutions and contribute to the transition towards a carbon-neutral energy system.
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