Descripción del proyecto
Un sistema de fotosíntesis artificial radical para la producción de combustible solar
Las emisiones excesivas de CO2 y el reciclaje ineficaz plantean retos contemporáneos. La fotosíntesis artificial es prometedora, pero requiere la integración de campos como la ciencia de materiales, la biotecnología, la ingeniería y las ciencias sociales para llevarla al mercado. El equipo del proyecto REFINE, financiado con fondos europeos, se dedica a desarrollar un revolucionario sistema de fotosíntesis artificial capaz de producir directamente alcoholes de alto valor energético, como isopropanol y butanol, utilizando CO2 capturado e hidrógeno generado mediante fotoelectrolisis del agua. Este sistema funciona únicamente con energía solar. La organización del proyecto a varios niveles representa un planteamiento innovador y holístico para hacer frente a importantes retos de la sociedad moderna, entre ellos las emisiones generalizadas de CO2 y la falta de un reciclado eficiente de este gas.
Objetivo
REFINE develops and demonstrates a system of artificial photosynthesis by combining both dark and light-dependent reactions for the direct production of high energy density and essential chemicals, such as alcohols. To achieve this, a direct hydrogen storage into hydrocarbons through CO2 capture and transformation in an advanced bio-refining system is proposed. In this, hydrogen produced by water photoelectrolysis is combined with captured CO2 and directly fed to biocultures that selectively produce isopropanol and butanol as high energy solar fuels, and the only energy input to drive this radical technological system is sunlight. To realise and bring to the market such a system of artificial photosynthesis it is necessary to converge the fields of materials science, biotechnology, engineering and social sciences.
The project organisation is multicentred and operates at different levels; from raw materials supply considerations, societal acceptance, materials engineering and nanostructuring to device assembling and applicability. The true converging nature of REFINE provides a holistic, ground-breaking approach that addresses major challenges of our modern societies such as the extensive CO2 emissions and inability for efficient and widely accepted CO2 recycling. The vision in REFINE extends well beyond the 4-year activities proposed in this application. Still, REFINE is the seed for a multidimensional approach to critical scientific and societal challenges.
Ámbito científico
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiespublic policies
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbons
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
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Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinador
0313 Oslo
Noruega