Problem addressed:
ECCSEL is in its early operational phase as an ERIC.
The ECCSELERATE Project builds on previous projects, taking into account the feedback from project reviewers and the ECCSEL General Assembly. It focused on:
• Increasing use and ensuring the long-term sustainable operation of ECCSEL
• Cost-effective sharing and use of ECCSEL ERIC RI by industry and SMEs
• Developing marketing, access and services models for industry and SMEs
• Increasing international collaboration
• Exploring the scope for extension to CO2 utilisation technology developments and potential synergies, thereby extending ECCSEL ERIC activities from CCS to CCUS
• Expanding ECCSEL ERIC membership and developing the national nodes
• Increasing ECCSEL involvement with ongoing industrial CCS projects
Importance for society: ‘enable researchers to address societal challenges with a global dimension’
The ECCSEL ERIC is a world-class CCUS RI and offers transnational access to world-leading European facilities to conduct research.
ECCSELERATE defined the next steps and facilitated the emerging developments of chain integration optimisation with 3rd generation capture technologies, and potential sustainable synergies with CCU.
This enables researchers to generate substantial knowledge leading to new innovative, cost effective solutions for CCUS, helping to ensure energy security and combat climate change by contributing to the delivery of a low carbon energy future and by contribution to strong reduction of CO2 emission by the CO2 intensive industry.
Overall objectives:
The enhancement of ECCSEL ERIC, as the European instrument relevant to CCS and CCUS research, enables high-ranking researchers and scientists from all regions, within and outside Europe, to access state-of-the-art research facilities to conduct advanced technological research.
In line with the focus areas above, the project has:
• Increased accessibility to the excellent network of facilities already established in ECCSEL for a wider user group, connect to the research and industrial community and connect research to industry and public services
• Improved the services provided by ECCSEL to its stakeholders including industrial, SME and academic user groups
• Increased the utilisation of ECCSEL and promote cross-fertilization of ideas between different user groups and different regional perspectives
• Increased and broadened ECCSEL ERIC membership
• Assessed the needs for future development of the research and innovation capabilities of its facilities, to meet anticipated user requirements for access to innovative, globally-leading technologies
• Widened the portfolio of facilities and services available to users, to enable technology research for various TRL levels
• Enabled technological development and innovation in ECCSEL for the benefit of European citizens
• Provided a more balanced development of the European Research Area
• Increased alignment and embedding of ECCSEL within the relevant European strategies, roadmaps and funding programmes and initiatives, which will serve to further anchor ECCSEL in Europe and improve the visibility and impact globally
• Better anchored ECCSEL in national and regional policies
• Facilitated access to national, international and regional funds for enhancing existing, and building new, research facilities and performing research and innovation activities
• Secured the long-term financial sustainability of ECCSEL ERIC
Concluding the project, nearly all objectives were met and isses were addressed apart from expanding ECCSEL ERIC membership. However the signatures from the new member countries Denmark and Germany were received after the project concluded and additional countries are preparing to join.
