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SUN-PERFORM: Synthetic biology United with Nanotechnology – A Biohybrid Approach to Improve Light-harvesting and CO2 Fixation for High Performance Sustainable Solar Fuel Production

Project description

Boosting solar fuel efficiency for a sustainable future

Current solar fuel technologies, essential for a sustainable energy future, face significant challenges: low efficiency, slow production, and high costs. These hurdles are particularly problematic for sectors like aviation and maritime, where electrification is difficult. The EU-funded SUN-PERFORM project seeks to overcome these barriers with a bio-hybrid approach, combining nanotechnology and synthetic biology. By developing advanced nanocrystal light-harvesting systems and engineered microalgal solar cells, SUN-PERFORM aims to quadruple current solar-to-fuel conversion efficiencies. The project will pilot these innovations in Europe and Africa, ensuring they are sustainable, economically viable, and socially acceptable. SUN-PERFORM’s success could position Europe as a global leader in solar fuel technology, benefiting diverse stakeholders worldwide.

Objective

The advancement of direct solar fuel technologies is key to provide a sustainable, secure energy supply for the EU and other global regions, and for the challenging-to-electrify aviation and maritime sectors. State-of-the-art technologies for solar fuel production (including natural photosynthesis) suffer from low solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency, low production rates and prohibitively high costs. Within the framework of SUN-PERFORM, we will address these critical limitations through an innovative biohybrid approach based on innovations in nanotechnology and synthetic biology. SUN-PERFORM aims to: 1) to develop artificial nanocrystal light-harvesting systems, to efficiently harvest a larger part of the solar light spectrum, 2) to generate advanced microalgal solar cell factories, by introducing synthetic pathways for a more efficient, rapid conversion of light energy and CO2 into lipid fuel precursors. Microalgal lipids are promising hydrocarbons for fuels, being already approved production pathways for Sustainable Aviation Fuel. However, current lipid production is still too inefficient and slow, hindering the cost-effective generation of renewable fuels. Through the implementation and integration of groundbreaking innovations at a pilot scale, SUN-PERFORM aims to achieve a remarkable four-fold increase in the existing solar-to-fuel efficiency. This will be demonstrated across two case studies reflecting the different solar irradiances received in Europe and Africa. In addition to technical advancements, SUN-PERFORM will comprehensively evaluate the sustainability, techno-economic and social aspects of this novel route, to guide its development as a truly sustainable, secure and affordable production platform. Diverse stakeholders, including industry and several partners in Africa, will be involved in SUN-PERFORM to support the global development and the European leadership and export position for solar fuel technology.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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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.

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-01

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Coordinator

WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 425 481,25
Address
DROEVENDAALSESTEEG 4
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands

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Region
Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 1 425 481,25

Participants (6)

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