CESC

Project description

CESC aims to transform CO2 into compounds of economic interest, tackling two hot issues: The first one is thedecarbonization of relevant industrial processes contributing to a safer and healthier environment. The secondone is to use CO2 as a primary source to produce chemicals of economic interest such as CO, CH4 and otherC2 (i.e., ethylene) products that are currently produced from fossil fuel sources. To achieve the above-mentionedgoals, we propose the construction of a continuous flow catalytic reactor with a Technology Readiness Level 4(TRL4) for the reduction of CO2 into chemicals of economic interest.

The project will comprise: (i) Design anddevelopment of novel efficient and stable catalysts for the transformation of CO2; (ii) Optimization of the solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency using solar cells by the design and fabrication of molecular solar cells that deliversufficient current and voltage to promote the electrochemical reduction of CO2; (iii) Development of a pilotcontinuous flow modular and smart device that integrates CO2 electrochemical reduction, an organicphotovoltaic system as power supply and CO2 capture systems; and (iv) Data analysis and impact assessmentto accelerate early implantation at a pilot plant. Materials science, catalysis and engineering can provide differentand an alternative pathway to convert atmospheric CO2 in other value-added chemical products and, thus,trigger the interest of the chemical industry in the capture and use of CO2 from the pipeline and re-use it, as afeedstock, to create a circular economic business. To achieve these objectives, a multidisciplinary researchteams formed by URV, ICIQ and EUT have joined in CESC to share knowledge and prepare a modularelectrochemical reactor at TRL4 integrating in one device the CO2 capture, the power generation fromrenewable solar energy and the electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 towards products of interest.