- Deadline: 16/01/2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
- Innovation Action
- Budget: around 4 000 000 EUR
- Indicative number of grants: 2
Improvement of light harvesting and carbon fixation with synthetic biology and/or bio-inspired//biomimetic pathways for renewable direct solar fuels production
The transition of the energy system will rely on reducing the overall energy demand and making the energy supply side climate neutral, in current and future climate conditions. R&I actions will help to make the energy supply side cleaner, more secure, and competitive by boosting cost performance and reliability of a broad portfolio of renewable energy solutions, in line with societal needs and preferences. Furthermore, R&I activities will underpin the modernisation of the energy networks to support energy system integration, including the progressive electrification of demand side sectors (buildings, mobility, industry) and integration of other climate neutral, renewable energy carriers, such as clean hydrogen. Innovative energy storage solutions (including chemical, mechanical, electrical and thermal storage) are a key element of such energy system and R&I actions will advance their technological readiness for industrial-scale and domestic applications. Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is a CO2 emission abatement option that holds great potential and R&I actions will accelerate the development of CCUS in electricity generation and industry applications.
Development of novel in-vivo or in-vitro biochemical and/or bio-inspired/biomimetic pathways for solar fuel production with increased efficiency in comparison to light and dark reactions of natural photosynthesis by synthetic biological and/or bio-inspired/biomimetic approaches. The aim is to achieve a significant improvement of components of both, light harvesting and carbon fixation, which are rate limiting for the conversion of solar energy to renewable fuels. Proposals are expected to include case studies for analysing the potential and impact of the technology for future application at scale and analyse possible interfaces with other solar fuel technologies, with a particular focus on socioeconomic and environmental sustainability including circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects and cost-effectiveness. All relevant aspects of safety of the technology are expected to be addressed. Hydrogen as a fuel and end-product is excluded.
Project results are expected to contribute to at least 3 of the following expected outcomes:
- Availability of disruptive and sustainable solar fuel technologies in order to accelerate the replacement of fossil-based energy technologies with more efficient use of primary solar energy in solar fuel production.
- Reduced cost and improved efficiency of solar-based renewable fuel technologies and their value chains by addressing rate-limiting steps in the solar fuels value chain.
- Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European industry in possibly game-changing solar fuel and synthetic biological technologies.
- Enhanced sustainability of solar fuels, taking fully into account circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
- Reinforced European scientific basis and European export potential for renewable energy technologies through international collaborations (e.g., the AU-EU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy partnership, the missions and innovation communities of Mission Innovation 2.0).
- Increasing the European energy security and reliability by improving the solar fuel conversion efficiency as well as maintaining and fostering the European global leadership in affordable, secure and sustainable solar fuel technologies.
This Destination contributes to the following Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations (KSO):
- C: Making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy through the transformation of its mobility, energy, construction and production systems;
- A: Promoting an open strategic autonomy[[ ‘Open strategic autonomy’ refers to the term ‘strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy’, as reflected in the conclusions of the European Council 1 – 2 October 2020.]] by leading the development of key digital, enabling and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains to accelerate and steer the digital and green transitions through human-centred technologies and innovations;
It covers the following impact areas:
- Industrial leadership in key and emerging technologies that work for people;
- Affordable and clean energy.