Objective
SPECTRA addresses Area 1 of the EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2025 “Waste-to-Value Devices: Circular Production of Renewable Fuels, Chemicals and Materials”, targeting new device concepts for the circular conversion of plastic waste into renewable fuels and chemicals.
SPECTRA develops a breakthrough solar-driven photoreforming device that converts mixed and non-recyclable plastics, including polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), into renewable fuels and high-value chemicals. Conventional recycling cannot handle such polymers due to their inertness and the need for sorting, high temperatures, and complex purification, leading to poor circularity and low-value outputs.
SPECTRA introduces a multispectral waste-to-value platform combining optical splitting, wavelength-matched photocatalysts, flow-reactor engineering, and LED-assisted illumination. Incoming sunlight is divided into green-red, blue, and near-UV channels, each directed to a dedicated reactor containing a spectrally tuned photocatalyst. Green-red light drives photothermal solvolysis of PET and PC, blue light promotes benzylic oxidation of PS, and near-UV light enables selective C–C bond scission in PE and PP. Integrated LED modules provide controlled top-up light, ensuring 24-hour continuous operation and precise reaction selectivity independent of solar fluctuations.
The coupled photoreforming–separation system will demonstrate >90 % conversion selectivity and >95 % product purity at lab scale (TRL4), achieving direct depolymerisation of mixed plastics without prior sorting or downstream purification.
SPECTRA establishes a new class of solar–photonic upcycling devices, merging optical design, catalysis, and process intensification to unlock circular, low-carbon pathways for renewable fuels and chemical production. The project directly supports the EIC Pathfinder Challenge “Waste-to-Value Devices”, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, and the Industrial Carbon Management Strategy.
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.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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-EIC - HORIZON EIC 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) HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
412 96 Goteborg
Sweden
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.