Owerri, Nigeria – October 2025 — ACE-FUELS, hosted at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, has taken another bold step toward powering Africa’s energy transition with the acquisition of two state-of-the-art slot die printers: the Vector SC and Omicron R2R, from Danish technology leader FOM Technologies.
These advanced systems form part of the sophisticated equipment in the newly launched ACE-FUELS ElectroLab X, Africa’s dedicated laboratory for next-generation electrochemical energy technologies.
Pioneering Perovskites and Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries
The new equipment will accelerate ACE-FUELS’ flagship R&D and scale up initiatives:
Perovskite Solar Cells: Enabling local manufacture of high efficiency, low-cost photovoltaics designed for Africa’s climate.
Beyond Lithium-Ion Battery Technologies: Advancing sodium ion and other sustainable storage chemistries to deliver affordable and secure energy solutions.
Crucially, ACE-FUELS is also embarking on the historic mission of developing Africa’s first indigenously designed and produced solar module, setting the stage for localized manufacturing and reduced dependence on imported technologies.
Cutting Edge Slot Die Technology
The Vector SC printer will serve as a precision sheet-based platform for early-stage material optimization and thin film prototyping.
The Omicron R2R roll to roll printer will allow continuous processing and pilot scale validation, bridging the gap between lab discoveries and scalable manufacturing.
Together, they provide ACE-FUELS researchers with unprecedented capability to develop, test, and scale innovative materials for solar energy and advanced batteries.
Global Partnership for Local Impact
“This milestone strengthens ACE-FUELS’ mission to deliver Africa-made clean energy technologies,” said Prof. Emeka E. Oguzie, Deputy Vice Chancellor (RDI) at FUTO and ACE-FUELS Centre Leader. “With the acquisition of FOM’s advanced slot die technology, made possible through funding support from the World Bank and the French Development Agency, and with additional research project funding from UKRI and The Faraday Institution UK, complemented by expert technical collaboration with our international partners, we are building Africa’s capacity to innovate and manufacture the clean energy solutions of the future.”
The partnership underscores FOM Technologies’ growing global footprint and aligns perfectly with ACE-FUELS’ mandate: powering Africa’s future through electrochemical innovation.
