Project description
Turning CO₂ into higher alcohols for a circular carbon economy
Converting CO2 into higher alcohols like ethanol and propanol is a promising process as it not only produces valuable chemicals but also uses CO2 as feedstock. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HiPre-HAS project will combine industrial-scale high-pressure testing with advanced operando spectroscopy to find how catalytic reactions occur under realistic operating conditions and reveal the mechanisms that drive alcohol formation. The project will develop multifunctional catalysts and identify optimal reaction conditions. By bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial application, HiPre-HAS will help pave the way for large-scale CO₂ valorisation technologies that support a circular carbon economy and Europe’s climate objectives.
Objective
The conversion of CO2 into higher alcohols (C2⁺-OH, e.g. ethanol, propanol) would deliver safe hydrogen carriers, renewable fuels, and versatile chemicals for a circular carbon economy, fulfilling the EU’s climate change scenarios and targets (EU Green Deal, the Fit for 55 package, or the Strategic Energy Technology Plan). Yet today, their production still relies on fossil resources or inefficient fermentation, as the selective CO2 hydrogenation to these long-chain alcohols (HAS) remains one of the biggest challenges in catalysis.
This project, supervised by a world leader in CO2 hydrogenation and operando spectroscopy at TU Delft (Prof. Atsushi Urakawa), pioneers a breakthrough approach by merging a systematic study using industrial-level high-pressure testing (>200 bar) with spatially resolved operando spectroscopy—a unique combination never applied yet to CO2-to-higher alcohols research. The combination of these methods will replicate true industrial conditions while directly revealing the mechanistic pathway, getting insight into how key intermediates form and evolve across the catalyst bed, allowing a more efficient catalyst and process rational design. The main goal of this project includes (i) developing multifunctional/tandem catalysts tailored for CO2-to-HAS, (ii) benchmarking performance under realistic high-pressure, low-temperature windows, and (iii) mapping reaction pathways to unlock rational catalyst design.
Bridging the gap between lab-scale studies and industrial practice in this project will deliver the first systematic exploration of CO2 hydrogenation to higher alcohols under realistic conditions, resulting in and establishing innovative design principles for catalysts and processes, enabling sustainable, large-scale CO2 valorization.
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.
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry alcohols
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology bioprocessing technologies fermentation
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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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
2628 CN Delft
Netherlands
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.