Background Fuel cells are considered to be one of the most promising new technologies for providing clean, safe and secure supplies of energy. Fuel cells convert fuel and air into electricity, heat and water through an electrochemical process, and offer low-carbon and climate change mitigation benefits. The profitable production of fuel cells at an industrial scale has not yet been realised. In the production process, when scaled up, one has to solve several technical and technological issues related to the mass production. The technology has been tested in the laboratory and pilot scale but scaling this up will require elaborate design and engineering. Objectives Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have so far been produced at a laboratory scale only with high manual input to the production process. The DEMO SOFC project aimed to demonstrate semi-industrial manufacturing methodologies that would lead to radical cost reductions for SOFC production. To do this, a pilot manufacturing plant was designed and constructed, and a manufacturing process was tested, with up-to-date quality assurance and other standardised control systems. The project also aimed to demonstrate the quality of SOFC components through design, construction and operation of a 50 kilowatt SOFC power-generating system, running on methanol and natural gas. The broad objective of the project was to assess the potential for development of the SOFC industry, which could result in the mass production of fuel cells as an alternative to fossil fuels in a number of applications, such as transport. Results The DEMO SOFC project constructed cell and stack production facilities in Lyngby, near Copenhagen, which can be run by methane and biogas. The demonstration plant showed that costs could be reduced, with a cost reduction per kilowatt (of production capacity) of up to 45%. A major part of the cost reduction was achieved through automated quality control of the products. The project showcased innovative and sustainable manufacturing solutions. The demonstration facility, a small (50 kilowatt) movable power plant, is a clean, silent and efficient energy production tool with huge market potential in sectors (transportation, remote locations) where the traditional, mainly high-carbon fossil fuel power sources are costly or otherwise difficult to run. The project partners have a clear idea of how to develop fuel-cell based energy production further, and which market segments to tackle, such as auxiliary power units for land transportation, small-scale combined heat and power (CHP) plants in remote locations with supply of natural gas, biogas and LPG, and the marine sector. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).