The Integrated Project Real-SOFC joined 26 partners from throughout Europe active in SOFC technology. The project was funded by the European Commission within the 6th Framework Programme and aimed at improving the durability of planar SOFC stacks to degradation rates of well below 1% per 1 000 hours of operation. This is an essential requirement in gaining access to the market for stationary applications. The underlying idea was to improve materials and materials processing on the basis of extensive test results identifying degradation mechanisms, and then to supply industrial components of enhanced quality for repeated testing analysis. This 'feedback loop' resulted in '2nd' and '3rd' Generations of SOFC components. This paper summarises the project approach, shows examples of the major results and of long-term durability testing. ©2009 COPYRIGHT ECS - The Electrochemical Society