Project description
Optimised iron particles for renewable energy storage
The transition to sustainable energy requires efficient storage and transport. Iron powder is considered a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, releasing heat during oxidation and storing energy through the reduction of iron oxide. However, iron fuel is hindered by several issues like safety, ignition efficiency and particle emissions. The ERC-funded FeFES project will innovate energy storage by optimising the chemistry, microstructure and morphology of iron powder. By combining combustion engineering and materials science, iron particles will be designed explicitly for sustainable energy storage, which can be naturally regenerated during the iron fuel cycle. Breakthroughs will allow truly sustainable energy production, storage and use, expand the use of metal fuels and deepen our understanding of metal oxidation in liquid states.
Objective
The global transition to renewable energy is one of the most critical challenges of our time. Iron powder has been proposed as a new sustainable energy carrier to replace fossil fuels in energy management. During its oxidation, heat is released and can be stored by reducing the resulting iron oxide using renewable energy. However, significant challenges remain for Fe fuel, such as transport and storage safety, ignition efficiency, micro-explosions, particle inflation, nanoparticle emissions, and particle agglomeration. To date, these issues have only been addressed by adjusting extrinsic combustion parameters like pressure, temperature, and gas composition, an approach that falls short of solving the fundamental limitations.
FeFES offers a groundbreaking solution by focusing on controlling the microstructure, morphology, and chemistry of Fe particles. By combining combustion engineering with materials science, FeFES will design Fe particles specifically tailored for sustainable energy storage. Their microstructure will be optimized to meet the needs of the Fe fuel cycle and naturally regenerate. Using novel experimental approaches, including in situ X-ray synchrotron studies, FeFES will quantify the microstructural evolution of burning iron fuel for the first time. These experimental insights will be paired with advanced phase field models to comprehensively understand the impact of the particle design on its combustion behavior.
The breakthroughs from FeFES will have wide-reaching benefits, including accelerating the development of renewable energy production through efficient energy storage and transport, expanding the use of metal fuels beyond pure metals, and advancing our understanding of liquid-state metal oxidation. This project holds the potential to reshape energy storage technologies and make a profound contribution to global sustainable energy efforts.
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.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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.
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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
1348 LOUVAIN LA NEUVE
Belgium
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.