Objective
The research is aimed at the efficient production of solar fuels from H2O and CO2. Solar thermochemical approaches using concentrating solar energy inherently operate at high temperatures and utilize the entire solar spectrum, and as such provide thermodynamic favorable paths to efficient solar fuel production. The targeted solar fuel is syngas: a mixture of mainly H2 and CO that can be further processed to liquid hydrocarbon fuels (e.g. diesel, kerosene), which offer high energy densities and are most convenient for the transportation sector without changes in the current global infrastructure. The strategy for the efficient production of solar syngas from H2O and CO2 involves research on a 2-step thermochemical redox cycle, encompassing: 1st step) the solar-driven endothermic reduction of a metal oxide; and 2nd step) the non-solar exothermic oxidation of the reduced metal oxide with H2O/CO2, yielding syngas together with the initial metal oxide. Two redox pairs have been identified as most promising: the volatile ZnO/Zn and non-volatile CeO2/CeO2-δ. Novel materials, structures, and solar reactor concepts will be developed for enhanced heat and mass transport, fast reaction rates, and high specific yields of fuel generation. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses of the pertinent redox reactions will enable screening dopants. Solar reactor modeling will incorporate fundamental transport phenomena coupled to reaction kinetics by applying advanced numerical methods (e.g. Monte Carlo coupled to CFD at the pore scale). Solar reactor prototypes for 5 kW solar radiative power input will experimentally demonstrate the efficient production of solar syngas and their suitability for large-scale industrial implementation. The proposed research contributes to the development of technically viable and cost effective technologies for sustainable transportation fuels, and thus addresses one of the most pressing challenges that modern society is facing at the global level.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels liquid fuels
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry organic reactions
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry inorganic compounds
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics numerical analysis
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.