The Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion

Project Information

MCEC

Grant agreement ID: 801359

DOI

10.3030/801359

Project closed

EC signature date 19 March 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 August 2023

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 3 348 480,00

EU contribution

€ 1 674 240,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MCEC (The Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion)

Reporting period: 2020-09-01 to 2023-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In the Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion (MCEC; www.mcec-researchcenter.nl) research teams from the fields of chemistry, physics and engineering at the universities of Utrecht (UU), Eindhoven (TU/e), and Twente (UT) have been working together on an ambitious research program with the aim to address one of the Grand Challenges our society faces today: sustainable energy conversion. More efficient and sustainable production of fuels and chemicals requires the development of new catalytic conversion processes that combine smart catalyst-reactor combinations with optimal transport of heat and mass at every length scale, i.e. from the nanoscale of the catalyst to the meter-scale of the reactor. Covering this full range of length scales requires a concerted effort of chemists, physicists and engineers, including both experimental and theoretical approaches.
In the framework of this program a group of 20 Cofund fellows has been equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to address the energy challenge in all sectors: academia, industry and governance.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The MCEC program has attracted, through 2 recruitment calls, 20 COFUND PhDs. Each MCEC PhD student has been enrolled in the local graduate programme of the three Universities and is trained in accordance with these local programmes and the overarching MCEC training programme.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The MCEC program aims to achieve the following impacts for its PhD students and society.

Career perspective of the PhD students
-Working in a research programme of proven quality and high visibility
-Working in the top research groups in the Netherlands
-Being educated in a truly multidisciplinary environment
-Gaining a range of transferable skills
-Building a strong international and intersectoral network

Addressing the future need for skilled Energy professionals

Logo MCEC research center