TESS-Labs

Laboratori di tecnologie e servizi per la sostenibilità is born from the synergy between FBK’s Sustainable Energy center and the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering of the University of Trento, with strong support from Trentino Sviluppo for the management and market uptake phases.

The laboratory is based in Rovereto at Progetto Manifattura, the Trentino Sviluppo's hub dedicated to green innovation. Within this dynamic ecosystem, TESSLabs can interact with companies, startups, and research institutions specialized in the circular economy, smart housing, sustainable mobility, and clean energy.

The true added value of TESSLabs lies in its infrastructure for industrial services. These facilities allow companies to develop and validate solutions in a production-like environment, drastically reducing time-to-market.

Given the scale of investments required for such equipment, TESSLabs represents a valuable resource especially for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, which can thus access cutting-edge equipment through on-demand services. Collaboration with the laboratory allows the integration of academic and research skills with manufacturing know-how, accelerating innovation processes.

TESSLabs’ offering is addressed directly to the industrial world, proposing advanced services and innovative technologies focused on four strategic pillars:

Hydrogen throughout the entire value chain: production, storage, and utilization;
Electrochemical storage for next-generation battery systems;
Sustainable housing: new technologies for built environments – managed by the Università degli Studi di Trento
Mobility infrastructure (optical systems for structural testing – managed by the Università degli Studi di Trento

BATTERY STORAGE LAB: Equipment and related activities

Assembly line for pouch cells, both Li-ion and solid-state (multilayer 15 Ah).
1000 L climatic chamber for electrical testing of batteries or other devices (-40°C to +180°C, up to 10°C/min, 10-98% RH).
Cyclers for cells (0-6V, up to max 1600A) and modules (0-80V, 480 A).
Bi-directional high-voltage power supply (up to 1600 V, 140 A, max 42 kW, 2 channels).
Safety testing equipment for battery cells and modules (nail penetration, overcharge/discharge, overtemperature).
Test bench for testing flow battery cells/mini-stacks (100-600 cm²).
Microgrid test bench (5 kW peak, integrating a grid simulator, LIB, SIB, supercapacitors, loads, PV, and various PCS).

Potential Service and Research Support Activities:

Testing of new materials for Lithium-ion and Solid-state batteries with validation at the multilayer pouch cell level (up to 15 Ah) and post-mortem characterization capabilities.
Testing of new materials (electrolytes, electrodes, membranes) for flow batteries with validation at the cell level on an industrially relevant scale (600 cm² active area).
Testing of battery cells (Lithium-ion, Sodium-ion, Solid-state, etc.) of various sizes from 5 Ah to 800 Ah, including under different environmental conditions (temperature and RH).
Testing of supercapacitor cells, also under different environmental conditions (temperature and RH).
Electrical testing of battery modules in a climatic chamber.
Electrical testing of high-voltage DC devices (1600 V, 140 A, 42 kW, 2 channels).
Safety testing for battery cells and modules (nail penetration, overtemperature, overcharge/discharge).
Testing of flow battery cells from 100 to 600 cm² with the ability to measure current density distribution and post-experimental material analysis (ICP-OES, SEM, UV-VIS, FT-IR).
Design of new concepts for flow battery cells and experimental validation.
Definition and testing of control logic for microgrid Energy Management Systems (EMS).
Development of cell and/or battery models and validation based on experimental testing.

HYDROGEN PRODUCTION LAB: Equipment and related activities

A complete space for testing and validating solutions based on GREEN GASES, from prototypes to near-market technologies (up to 100 kW), in an environment suitable for handling flammable and toxic substances (ATEX 2 NE).

4 test stations with gas connections and electrical availability for:

FBK test benches
Company plug & play systems

ELECTRICAL POWER

Up to 100 kW available

UTILITIES

H₂ (N5)
Natural gas
Ammonia
CO₂
Nitrogen and Forming Gas
Demineralized water (Quality I)
Chilled water line (7-10°C)
Compressed air

Potential Service and Research Support Activities:

Public Funding: Identification of calls for tenders and financial support tools, with IP management support.
Sustainability and Economic Feasibility Support: Development of Economic Assessments (LCA/LCC) on H₂ technologies and support for DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) compliance.
Technological Validation: Demonstration or testing of H₂ systems of relevant scale (>5kW) with production qualification. Validation through long-duration tests (up to thousands of hours).
Control Strategy Development: Development of digital twins of H₂ systems (accurate using ROM techniques) for the ultimate goal of control system development (from prediction objectives to production optimization topics) or engineering support (transient evaluation or other). In collaboration with the DI Center.
Technological Screening: Testing of individual components for technological benchmarking and cost model definition. Identification and development of the supply chain for manufacturing a component and supplier selection.
Co-Design and Co-Development: Development of individual components in the H₂ sector, such as catalysts, CCM, CCS, PTL, and bipolar plates, supported by modeling and diagnostic expertise. Development according to the Machinery Directive and main EU directives (e.g., ATEX).

Expertise:

Electrolysis technologies: Alkaline, PEM and High Temperature (SOE, PCC, Alkaline)
Fuel Cells (SOFC) with H₂/NG/NH₃
Thermal reactors for hydrogen production/reforming (thermal or plasma assistance)
Gasification and e-fuel production
System integration for H₂ technologies
Storage, compression, and measurement related to H₂, such as metal hydrides, electrochemical and thermochemical compression, leakage and sensing.
Nuclear and H₂: heat recovery for H₂ production
BoP (Balance of Plant) ancillary elements for H₂ systems

Crosscutting Support:

Identification of production supply chains.
Prototyping of systems and ancillary components (Internal/External).
Development of test protocols for industrial qualification.

CHEMICAL LAB

A complete space equipped for wet synthesis of compound and materials and some materials characterizations, such as heavy metal quantitative analysis (ICP-MS), porosity and surface area determination (BET) in solid samples and several gas analysis techniques (MS, GC, OFCEAS).

More information about characterizations and services can be found in Services: Chemical and physical characterisation