Descrizione del progetto
Verso la commercializzazione di combustibili solari liquidi
Mentre l’idea di utilizzare energia solare per stimolare reazioni chimiche al fine di produrre combustibili circola da decenni, la tecnologia dovrà fare ancora molta strada prima di poter essere efficiente in termini di costi e scalabile per applicazioni industriali. Il progetto Sun-To-X, finanziato dall’UE, utilizzerà innanzitutto l’energia solare e l’umidità ambientale per produrre idrogeno. Quindi l’idrogeno, utilizzando energia solare concentrata, verrà attivato per formare un combustibile liquido non tossico ad alta densità energetica chiamato Hydrosil, da utilizzare direttamente nel settore dei trasporti e in quello energetico, con l’acqua come unica emissione. La sua innovazione rivoluzionaria potrebbe riuscire a rimuovere molte barriere che ostacolano l’impiego di combustibili liquidi a zero emissioni.
Obiettivo
The Sun-to-X project will contribute to European Commission targets for clean energy for all and circular economy by developing a system for the conversion of solar energy into storable chemical fuel. While the concept of solar-to-chemical fuels has been around for decades, the technology has been limited by the economic viability and scalability of the technology.
The Sun-to-X project focuses on using solar energy to produce a carbon-free, non-toxic, energy-dense, liquid fuel - Hydrosil, with very good long-term stability, which is applicable in the transport and energy sectors. We will firstly produce hydrogen as chemical intermediate through a photoelectrochemical device. This will then be converted to Hydrosil through a thermochemical reaction.
The novelty of our proposal lies in the following three key aspects:
1. Overcoming the known practical challenges of high-performance photoelectrochemical fuel production by using membrane photoelectrode assemblies which can operate with solar energy using only ambient humidity as the water supply
2. Developing reactors for and demonstrating the renewable production of Hydrosil for the first time, using a thermochemical process (using concentrated solar light)
3. Demonstrating a completely decarbonised energy cycle with liquid fuels
In addition, we will demonstrate the applicability of Hydrosil towards the transition to a circular economy, by using it for the valorisation of waste plastics.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsliquid fuels
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- natural scienceschemical sciencesphysical chemistrythermochemistry
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-LC-SC3-2019-NZE-RES-CC
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
1140 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgio