Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SPOTLIGHT (Disruptive photonic devices for highly efficient, sunlight-fueled chemical processes)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-01-01 do 2024-06-30
Within SPOTLIGHT, a photonic device and chemical process concept has been developed and validated for conversion of CO2 and green H2 to chemical fuel methane (CH4, Sabatier process), and to carbon monoxide (CO, reverse water gas shift process) as starting material for production of the chemical fuel methanol (CH3OH) using natural sunlight and LED lighting as energy sources. Both CH4 and CH3OH are compatible with current infrastructure, and suited for multiple applications e.g. car fuel, energy storage, and starting material for the production of valuable chemicals. To be able to make conversions outlined above possible, various catalytic strategies have been investigated and implemented. Thermal catalysis is traditionally applied a lot in industry, but these processes are usually difficult couple to renewable energy (RE) sources. Electrocatalysis could benefit directly from the generation of RE (i.e. electricity form solar and wind energy), but overall efficiency lacks behind due to process inefficiency and selectivity is often low. As an alternative, photocatalysis is of interest specifically for CO2 reduction because radicals are more easily formed at the (illuminated) surface. The objective of SPOTLIGHT was to reach a process efficiency of at least 5%. SPOTLIGHT’s photonic device comprises a transparent flow reactor, optimized for light incoupling in the catalyst bed at high solar intensity and with highly selective plasmonic catalysts. Furthermore, it comprises secondary solar optics to concentrate natural sunlight and project it onto the reactor, and an energy efficient LED light engine to ensure continuous operation. SPOTLIGHT’s catalysts are plasmonic catalysts, capable of absorbing a large part of the solar spectrum. We have achieved a process efficiency of 50% for the Sabatier process and 4.5% for the rWGS process. The objective of SPOTLIGHT was to develop and validate processes that will be cost competitive with fossil and green alternatives between 2030 and 2050.
The SPOTLIGHT consortium has achieved the following key elements: we have successfully developed catalysts, a photonic device and chemical process concept for the sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS processes, and successfully demonstrated those using natural sunlight and LED lighting as energy sources. To achieve this, we have successfully integrated all separate components (the catalysts, flow reactor, flux guide and the light source) into a pilot scale photonic device. Validation trials were performed successfully. We have achieved a process efficiency of 50% for the Sabatier process and 4.5% for the rWGS process. A scenario for future economic exploitation of results in several markets has been made. Techno-economic assessments for methanation and syngas production have been performed and published. Environmental assessment of the process has been performed. The syngas and methane value chain has been investigated. A cradle to gate LCA was performed and published. The characterization of Key Exploitable Results (KERs) has been finalized in close collaboration with the partners. Innovative methanation can compete with conventional methanation in the 2030s. By 2050 methanation can compete with natural gas if a tax is levied of >270 €/tCO2. Sunlight-powered rWGS process could competitively produce green CO. Our projections indicate that a carbon tax of 75-200€/ton CO2 is required to reach break-even costs in an optimized scenario.
The key advancement delivered in the SPOTLIGHT project is a validated photonic device and chemical process concept for the sunlight-powered conversion of CO2 and green H2 to CH4, and CO as starting material for the production of CH3OH. SPOTLIGHT provides a sunlight-powered green process for the production of CH4 and CO as starting material for the chemical fuel CH3OH, which can be carried out in the EU, and significantly contributes to reducing the dependence of the EU on imported energy. Assuming that 300 Mt CO2 of the global total of 2700 Mt CO2 from point sources ≤ 1 Mt are located in Europe, SPOTLIGHT’s technology concept could generate a total amount of CH4 which equals 5.4 EJ of energy, which is 8% of the current annual energy use in the EU. Similar considerations are valid for the production of the chemical fuel CH3OH via CO.
Progress beyond state of art:
- Plasmonic catalysts: Ru/Al2O3 and Ru/TiO2 developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier process. Au/TiO2 and Au/CeO2-x developed and validated for the sunlight-powered rWGS process.
- Reactor: tailored transparent flow reactor developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier process.
- Light source and optical components: tailored energy efficient LED light source developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS processes, and tailored flux guide for simultaneous solar and LED
illumination developed and validated.
- SPOTLIGHT's photonic device: integrated photonic device developed, optimized and demonstrated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS processes.
- SPOTLIGHT's process efficiency: process efficiency of 50% and 4.5% realized for sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS process, respectively.
- Feedstocks: It has been demonstrated that purified CO2 and H2 produced by SPOTLIGHT’s end users are perfectly suited feedstocks.
- Technical and economic feasibility: demonstrated for SPOTLIGHT's sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS process that both processes can be cost competitive in the period 2030-2050.
Progress beyond state of art:
- Plasmonic catalysts: Ru/Al2O3 and Ru/TiO2 developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier process. Au/TiO2 and Au/CeO2-x developed and validated for the sunlight-powered rWGS process.
- Reactor: tailored transparent flow reactor developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier process.
- Light source and optical components: tailored energy efficient LED light source developed and validated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS processes, and tailored flux guide for simultaneous solar and LED
illumination developed and validated.
- SPOTLIGHT's photonic device: integrated photonic device developed, optimized and demonstrated for the sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS processes.
- SPOTLIGHT's process efficiency: process efficiency of 50% and 4.5% realized for sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS process, respectively.
- Feedstocks: It has been demonstrated that purified CO2 and H2 produced by SPOTLIGHT’s end users are perfectly suited feedstocks.
- Technical and economic feasibility: demonstrated for SPOTLIGHT's sunlight-powered Sabatier and rWGS process that both processes can be cost competitive in the period 2030-2050.