Periodic Reporting for period 1 - E-TANDEM (HYBRID TANDEM CATALYTIC CONVERSION PROCESS TOWARDS HIGHER OXYGENATE E-FUELS)
Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2023-12-31
The EU target for 2050 to achieve a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions economy is crucial to cease global warming and its consequences on climate. While electrification is the blueprint for passenger vehicles, the de-fossilization of other transport sectors such as heavy-duty and long-haul ground, shipping and aviation transport relies on the availability of carbon-neutral fuels with much higher volumetric energy densities than state-of-the-art batteries.
Synthetic liquid hydrocarbons and light oxygenate (methanol, DME) renewable fuels stand as the current options. Higher (with 5 or more carbon atoms in their chemical formula) oxygenate compounds, such as aliphatic alcohols and ethers, could prove a highly preferred alternative, due to their exceptional capacity to reduce tailpipe volatile organics and soot emissions compared to paraffinic fuels (owing to their mildly oxygenated chemical formula) and their advantageous logistics and compatibility with current-fleet infrastructures (fuel distribution networks and internal combustion engines) compared to lighter oxygenate compounds with greater oxygen contents.
The E-TANDEM project ambitions to unlock an efficient and direct production of a new higher-oxygenate diesel-like e-fuels which can replace fossil diesel in the marine and heavy-duty transport sectors. Said oxygenated fuel is directly produced from waste CO2 (from industrial exhaust streams or direct capture from the air) as the sole carbon source, and renewable power as the sole energy input, in a once-through hybrid catalytic process which integrates three major catalysis branches: electrocatalysis, solid thermocatalysis and molecular chemocatalysis.
E-TANDEM advances on breakthrough findings made by consortium partners with catalyst materials which, owing to their unconventional performance, enable for the first time the integration of reductive polymerization and oxo-functionalization reactions from renewable syngas (CO+H2) in a single-step process with greater carbon and energy efficiency than conventional multi-step conversion schemes, alongside essentially no CO2 side-production. The project will demonstrate the new e-fuel production concept in continuous mode at bench-scale (< 1L/h) validating the technology at technology readiness level (TRL) 4. Emphasis will be placed on assessing and optimizing the process dynamic response to stationary and daily fluctuations which are inherent to renewable hybrid wind-solar power inputs. Moreover, fuel benchmarking, techno-economic and life-cycle analyses will assess the soundness of current fleet-compatibility, sustainability and societal aspects of the newly proposed higher oxygenate e-fuel and its production concept.
Synthetic liquid hydrocarbons and light oxygenate (methanol, DME) renewable fuels stand as the current options. Higher (with 5 or more carbon atoms in their chemical formula) oxygenate compounds, such as aliphatic alcohols and ethers, could prove a highly preferred alternative, due to their exceptional capacity to reduce tailpipe volatile organics and soot emissions compared to paraffinic fuels (owing to their mildly oxygenated chemical formula) and their advantageous logistics and compatibility with current-fleet infrastructures (fuel distribution networks and internal combustion engines) compared to lighter oxygenate compounds with greater oxygen contents.
The E-TANDEM project ambitions to unlock an efficient and direct production of a new higher-oxygenate diesel-like e-fuels which can replace fossil diesel in the marine and heavy-duty transport sectors. Said oxygenated fuel is directly produced from waste CO2 (from industrial exhaust streams or direct capture from the air) as the sole carbon source, and renewable power as the sole energy input, in a once-through hybrid catalytic process which integrates three major catalysis branches: electrocatalysis, solid thermocatalysis and molecular chemocatalysis.
E-TANDEM advances on breakthrough findings made by consortium partners with catalyst materials which, owing to their unconventional performance, enable for the first time the integration of reductive polymerization and oxo-functionalization reactions from renewable syngas (CO+H2) in a single-step process with greater carbon and energy efficiency than conventional multi-step conversion schemes, alongside essentially no CO2 side-production. The project will demonstrate the new e-fuel production concept in continuous mode at bench-scale (< 1L/h) validating the technology at technology readiness level (TRL) 4. Emphasis will be placed on assessing and optimizing the process dynamic response to stationary and daily fluctuations which are inherent to renewable hybrid wind-solar power inputs. Moreover, fuel benchmarking, techno-economic and life-cycle analyses will assess the soundness of current fleet-compatibility, sustainability and societal aspects of the newly proposed higher oxygenate e-fuel and its production concept.
In the first period, significant progress has been made towards the project objectives. Current main achievements include:
- The successful development of co-electrolysis cells based on metal-supported catalysts, showcasing significantly improved activity and durability compared to Ni-based state-of-the-art cells at atmospheric pressure. These advancements enable the production of e-syngas with the desired composition, i.e. a H2/CO molar ratio of ca. 2, for downstream tandem thermocatalytic conversion. Ongoing efforts focus on further optimizing this new cell family through microstructural characterization.
- Advancements achieved in the identification of solid FT catalyst formulations for e-syngas conversion, showing high selectivity to higher oxygenates at milder temperatures. New molecular RHF catalysts based on water-tolerant, mono-dentate phosphine ligands have been discovered, leading to enhanced alcohol production.
- The production of an e-fuel surrogate based on synthetic alcohols has been achieved at the L scale, and applied as the basis for e-fuel characterization.
- A solid catalyst (a commercially available Amberlyst® acidic resin) and a reaction recipe have been identified and optimized, at lab scale, to enable the production of the second relevant e-fuel surrogate mixture, i.e. a mixture of higher synthetic ethers from.
- Fuel characterization testing was performed and analysis is ongoing on alcohol surrogate blends, while for the ether surrogate blend, planning is available and preparatory work completed.
- The Hardware-in-the-Loop test bench has been developed (MS2 achieved) which will be used within the project to characterize fuel-material interactions of the novel HOEF fuel with field applications.
- Significant steps taken in formulating the reactor concept and e-fuel production miniplant design (Objective 2). Simultaneously, partners are working on catalyst recycling and downstream process concepts, identifying options for efficiency and feasibility testing. The planning of the miniplant, including the ordering of necessary parts, P&ID, safety analysis, and necessary infrastructure, is already ongoing.
- Test cases for LCA analysis have been identified.
- The successful development of co-electrolysis cells based on metal-supported catalysts, showcasing significantly improved activity and durability compared to Ni-based state-of-the-art cells at atmospheric pressure. These advancements enable the production of e-syngas with the desired composition, i.e. a H2/CO molar ratio of ca. 2, for downstream tandem thermocatalytic conversion. Ongoing efforts focus on further optimizing this new cell family through microstructural characterization.
- Advancements achieved in the identification of solid FT catalyst formulations for e-syngas conversion, showing high selectivity to higher oxygenates at milder temperatures. New molecular RHF catalysts based on water-tolerant, mono-dentate phosphine ligands have been discovered, leading to enhanced alcohol production.
- The production of an e-fuel surrogate based on synthetic alcohols has been achieved at the L scale, and applied as the basis for e-fuel characterization.
- A solid catalyst (a commercially available Amberlyst® acidic resin) and a reaction recipe have been identified and optimized, at lab scale, to enable the production of the second relevant e-fuel surrogate mixture, i.e. a mixture of higher synthetic ethers from.
- Fuel characterization testing was performed and analysis is ongoing on alcohol surrogate blends, while for the ether surrogate blend, planning is available and preparatory work completed.
- The Hardware-in-the-Loop test bench has been developed (MS2 achieved) which will be used within the project to characterize fuel-material interactions of the novel HOEF fuel with field applications.
- Significant steps taken in formulating the reactor concept and e-fuel production miniplant design (Objective 2). Simultaneously, partners are working on catalyst recycling and downstream process concepts, identifying options for efficiency and feasibility testing. The planning of the miniplant, including the ordering of necessary parts, P&ID, safety analysis, and necessary infrastructure, is already ongoing.
- Test cases for LCA analysis have been identified.
- In the first reporting period, novel co-SOE anode electrode materials based on supported Ni metal catalysts have been developed which delivered improved stability compared to state-of-art massive-type electrodes for the co-electrolysis of CO2 and steam, while providing e-syngas products with a H2/CO molar ratio of 2, which is optimal for integration with downstream e-fuel production technologies. This will contribute towards fostering availability of synergetic catalytic systems for carbon-neutral renewable fuels.
- New molecular catalyst formulations have been identified for the reductive hydroformylation of synthetic alpha-olefins to synthetic alcohols. The catalyst system attain performances beyond the state of the art, as they illustrate the possibility to produce alcohols in a single conversion step, at significantely mild conditions, with high water tolerance and with essentially full selectivity. These developments are potentially impactful in the fiel of higher oxygenate e-fuel production and beyond, e.g. opening the door to a higher-yield and more selective production of synthetic (fatty) alcohol chemicals from renewable carbon resources alternative to natural oils.
- Physico-chemical properties of novel higher-oxygenate e-fuels which are relevant for performance- and fuel/materials interactions have been assessed for the first higher oxygenate e-fuel (HOEF) realization, i.e. higher synthetic alcohols. The blending behaviour with marine gas oil has been studied and the results indicate that fuel blends with up to 30% of HOEF show physicochemical and combustion properties which are compliant with the relevant ISO 8217 (DMA Limit) norm for marine diesel-like fuels These results push the field of e-fuels forth by providing a blueprint for drop-in higher oxygenate electrical fuels.
- To boost project exploitation and succesful fuel development, a Stakeholders Board has been setup for the project and first interactions with the implementing team scheduled. The Board encompasses members which are active in CO2 capture and sourcing, as well as internationally leading companies in the sectors of marine engine design/manufacture and sustainable fuel production. The board additionally includes a NPO which is exceedingly active in the promotion of e-fuels as a solution towards the defossilization of hard-to-abate transport sectors. The setup of this board set the scene to ensure the right channels to realize the potential impact of the project's developments.
- New molecular catalyst formulations have been identified for the reductive hydroformylation of synthetic alpha-olefins to synthetic alcohols. The catalyst system attain performances beyond the state of the art, as they illustrate the possibility to produce alcohols in a single conversion step, at significantely mild conditions, with high water tolerance and with essentially full selectivity. These developments are potentially impactful in the fiel of higher oxygenate e-fuel production and beyond, e.g. opening the door to a higher-yield and more selective production of synthetic (fatty) alcohol chemicals from renewable carbon resources alternative to natural oils.
- Physico-chemical properties of novel higher-oxygenate e-fuels which are relevant for performance- and fuel/materials interactions have been assessed for the first higher oxygenate e-fuel (HOEF) realization, i.e. higher synthetic alcohols. The blending behaviour with marine gas oil has been studied and the results indicate that fuel blends with up to 30% of HOEF show physicochemical and combustion properties which are compliant with the relevant ISO 8217 (DMA Limit) norm for marine diesel-like fuels These results push the field of e-fuels forth by providing a blueprint for drop-in higher oxygenate electrical fuels.
- To boost project exploitation and succesful fuel development, a Stakeholders Board has been setup for the project and first interactions with the implementing team scheduled. The Board encompasses members which are active in CO2 capture and sourcing, as well as internationally leading companies in the sectors of marine engine design/manufacture and sustainable fuel production. The board additionally includes a NPO which is exceedingly active in the promotion of e-fuels as a solution towards the defossilization of hard-to-abate transport sectors. The setup of this board set the scene to ensure the right channels to realize the potential impact of the project's developments.