Solar2Chem Conference 2023 Kicks Off: Pioneering the Solar-to-Chemical Revolution

International Experts Unite to Advance Science and Environmental Responsibility

On Monday, the Solar2Chem Conference started, marking the beginning of this international event, hosted at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia. This event is organized and aimed at PhD students, and it is dedicated to exploring the intersection of solar energy and chemical processes.

The Solar2Chem conference is a key gathering of researchers and experts dedicated to addressing global challenges related to sustainable development, responsible consumption and production, and climate action, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference emphasizes the importance of innovative technologies like photocatalysis in achieving sustainable energy solutions. Concretely, it fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, policy implementation, and scalability discussions. Solar2Chem symbolizes years of dedicated research and serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and the acceleration of sustainable energy advancements, contributing to a greener future.

“Scientists bear a significant societal responsibility, given their specialized skills and tools. This responsibility entails utilizing their expertise to tackle pressing global challenges. In this case, the conference focuses on innovative approaches to tackle climate change, such as converting CO₂ into a valuable resource and producing green hydrogen from water, which are crucial for the global transition to sustainable energy systems.”explains Prof. Beatriz Roldán Cuenya, Director of the Interface Science Department at the Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin (Germany) and a member of the ICIQ Scientific Advisory Board.

Prof. Roldán is part of the group of national and international experts participating in this conference. The eight outstanding plenary speakers are the following:

• Harry Atwater – California Institute of Technology – Liquid Fuels from Sunlight via Coupled Chemical Microenvironments
• Jacob Zeuthen – Senior Future Fuels Manager –  Maersk – Fuel development for the future maritime fleet
• Luigi Crema – Avenue Mar Member of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Governing Board – Hydrogen Europe Research and the priorities for the direct solar hydrogen production
• Kazunari Domen – University of Tokyo – Photocatalytic water splitting and green hydrogen and fuels production systems
• José Ramón Galán-Mascarós – ICIQ – Oxidation catalysis and renewable fuels: challenges and beyond
• Timothy Noël – University of Amsterdam, Van ’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) – From Batch to Flow: Advancing Synthetic Organic Chemistry through Technological
• Beatriz Roldán – Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck – Beyond Static Models: Dynamics in Interfacial Catalysis
• Philippe Schild – European Commission – Research and Innovation on Solar Fuels and Chemicals: Mission Innovation and the European viewpoint

On the fourth day of the conference, scientists, industry experts, and policymakers will convene for a workshop addressing challenges in Solar2Chem, emphasizing collaboration and innovations for a carbon-neutral economy. The event also highlights the role of Clusters/Networks/Hubs in shaping the future of the solar chemicals and fuels industry.

A programme to train young researchers and to advance the knowledge

The programme Solar2Chem aims to address the European industrial gap in solar chemicals production by training 16 early-stage researchers (ESRs) in cutting-edge concepts and techniques, emphasizing interdisciplinary knowledge in physical sciences, communication, leadership, management skills, and building professional networks.

ICIQ is a partner of the Solar2Chem consortium and has two selected ESRs, Pavle Nikačević, working on the project “First principles investigations of materials in the Solar2Chem,” and Muhammad Saad Naeem, focusing on the project “Characterization and mass transport modeling of ion-selective membranes for water splitting reactors.” Both Pavle and Muhammad are PhD students at Prof. Núria Lopez’s Group.

The 16 ESRs are responsible for organizing two key events of the Solar2Chem Project: the conference held at ICIQ and the past Valencia Winter School “Materials and Methods for Solar Chemical Production,” which took place at the Universitat Politècnica de València from February 22nd to 24th, 2023.

“As a member of the organizing committee, I can confidently say that the event has been a success, with a dedicated team working tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. From the outstanding speakers to the seamless coordination, it’s been a fulfilling and impactful experience”, estates Muhammad. “Solar2Chem Conference is key for students as it allows them to engage directly with influential speakers, build networks, and enhance the institute’s global recognition”, adds Prof. Roldan.

The Solar2Chem consortium includes 12 beneficiaries, both academic and non-academic, along with 8 partner organizations. The program focuses on scientific, technical, and personal development skills, including international secondments to leading countries like Japan, the US, and Australia.

This event has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 861151 and the Spanish State Research Agency/Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “Severo Ochoa” Centres of Excellence Program 2019 (CEX2019-000925-S, MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033).