Project description
Sun-powered reactor to convert CO2 into valuable chemicals
Using CO2 as a chemical feedstock could significantly reduce annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The EU-funded SunCoChem project plans to produce a competitive and integrated solution that helps actively remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere. Specifically, the project will develop a tandem photoelectrocatalytic reactor that will use just sunlight, water and CO2 to produce high-value chemicals. The goal is to raise the technology readiness level to 5. The project targets the production of three chemicals: glycolic acid, which is used as a polymer building block, valeraldehyde – a flavour ingredient – and LimoxalTM – a fragrance ingredient.
Objective
SunCoChem will have an important impact in reduction of the dependence of the European Chemical Industry (ECI) on carbon feedstock by producing a competitive and integrated solution enabling the carbon-netural production of high valuable chemicals from solar energy, H20 and CO2.
SunCoChem will provide a solution based on a competitive tandem photoelectrocatalytic reactor (TPER) to efficiently produce oxo-products from CO2, water and sunlight. This will be achieved by process intensification coupling a sun-driven carbon dioxide reduction to CO/water oxidation to O2 with C-C bond carbonylation reaction catalysed by novel multifunctional hybrid photoelectrocatalysts (PEcats)
SunCoChem is focused on the production of 3 main oxo-products of interest for three important chemical industries in Europe: i) Glycolic Acid, used as polymers building block and of interest to AVANTIUM CHEMICALS BV; ii) Valeraldheyde, a flavor ingredient of interest to and produced by DOW CHEMICALS; and iii) LimoxalTM a fragrance ingredient of interest to and produced by IFF.
The TPER will be demonstrated at a TRL5 scale of 1m2 and validated by a set of 3 case studies corresponding to the 3 selected products, representing real chemical industry needs from the 3 mentioned industrial partners. The sustainable and efficient technology for oxo-products production will be demonstrated by addressing the recycling CO2 flue gas and by-products from Dow Chemicals and IFF, with an improved chemical energy conversion efficiency (≥10%) and CO2 emissions reduction (≥50%). The advantages of the SunCoChem technology in terms of social and environment impact will be analyzed with respect to conventional production routes of the same target products.
Maximum impact will be ensured through the involvement of the mentioned three industrial end users in the validation of the technology, a well-balanced dissemination, standardization, communication, stakeholders engagement and exploitation of the different results.
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Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
08290 Cerdanyola Del Valles (Barcelona)
Spain
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Participants (17)
10129 Torino
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Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
Participation ended
94607 OAKLAND CA
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14109 Berlin
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16163 Genova
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75794 Paris
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
34090 Montpellier
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1170 Aubonne
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1014 BV Amsterdam
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
1014 BV Amsterdam
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
46022 Valencia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
74076 HEILBRONN
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
10135 Torino
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28003 Madrid
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12580 Benicarlo
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
10019 New York
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28004 Madrid
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57001 Thermi Thessaloniki
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