Fuel Cells in Action: How KU Leuven is Shaping the Future of Hydrogen Education
At KU Leuven, one of Europe's top research institutions, Horizon’s hydrogen fuel cells aren’t just theoretical concepts—they’re hands-on tools for educating the next generation of engineers. Since 2019, Professor Frank Buysschaert and his team at the Bruges campus have been integrating fuel cell technology into their curriculum, using Horizon Educational’s fuel cell stacks to bring hydrogen energy to life for their students.
From Theory to Practice: The Power of Hands-On Learning
KU Leuven’s Master of Engineering Technology students start by learning the fundamentals of fuel cells:
- Thermodynamics & Electrochemistry – They explore key principles where thermodynamics and electrochemistry are linked like activation loss, ohmic loss, and concentration loss.
- Characterisation – Students measure fuel cell efficiency using polarization curves and perform other tests like a current interrupt to understand dynamic behaviour.
- Practical Exercises & Real-World Problem-Solving – Students are engaged in addressing fuel-cell-related challenges posed by industry or research via master theses. They build models and analyze performance trade-offs in real systems.
But what makes KU Leuven’s program stand out is the hands-on experience. In a six-hour lab session, students work in small groups to assemble and test a Horizon Fuel Cell stack from scratch.
"They build it themselves—understanding every component, from the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to the electrodes and current collectors," says Jorben Mus.
During these sessions, students tackle real engineering questions—like why fuel cell electrodes have holes, how airflow impacts efficiency, and why fuel cell performance changes over time.
Why Horizon Stacks?
Horizon Educational’s Fuel Cell Stacks stand out because of their user-friendliness, allowing students to quick utilize the ‘plug and play’ design. Unlike larger, commercial fuel cells that remain sealed, this system gives students a unique hands-on look inside.
User-friendly Stack Design – Students can easily use the ‘plug and play’ stack
Small but Powerful – The systems is compact, but still allows students to run real polarization curve tests.
Real-World Relevance – The performance of these fuel cells closely mirrors full-scale hydrogen systems.
"One of the biggest advantages is that students can really take them apart and understand how a stack works. With most commercial fuel cells, you just see the outer casing—you can’t open them up and explore the components." – Jorben Mus
Bringing Hydrogen to Life Beyond the Classroom
The learning doesn’t stop in the lab. KU Leuven also demonstrates fuel cells at public events, showing students, children, and even seasoned engineers how hydrogen technology works. One of their most popular demonstrations?
Charging a Phone with Hydrogen – Using the Horizon Fuel Cell Stack, they showcase how a fuel cell generates electricity to power everyday devices.
"We’ve done this at open days, renewable energy events, and even for children! It’s a great way to explain the potential of hydrogen to a broad audience." – Jorben Mus
Looking to the Future
KU Leuven’s fuel cell program continues to evolve. While their primary focus is research, they’re committed to expanding hands-on hydrogen education. As they move toward using larger H60 fuel cell systems, they aim to provide students with even more advanced research opportunities.
Through their work, KU Leuven is proving that hydrogen education isn’t just about reading textbooks—it’s about building, testing, and experiencing clean energy firsthand.
Want to bring hydrogen education to your school or university? Check out Horizon Educational’s full range of fuel cell learning kits at Horizon Educational.