Climate change makes it imperative that we discover ways of producing energy and chemicals sustainably and replacing the fossil fuels that form the basis for our energy and chemical industry. ENERGY-X will develop the science and the technology needed to enable economically sound production of carbon-neutral fuels, chemicals, and materials.
The ENERGY-X CSA (Coordination & Support Action), funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, kicked-off on March 4th, 2019, in Prague. It will mobilise European researchers and industry over the next twelve months, in order to build a strategic roadmap towards a large-scale research initiative addressing the efficient conversion of solar and wind energy into chemical form. The ENERGY-X CSA includes 13 partners across Europe (Technical University of Denmark, Max Planck Society, Ghent University, Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, CEA, Czech Academy of Sciences, Utrecht University, ERIC aisbl, ETH Zürich, RWI, Technical University of Valencia, DECHEMA, and EERA aisbl), and is supported by a large group of industrial companies.
ENERGY-X will contribute to new science and disruptive technology in the field of molecular and interfacial catalysis, and will combine this ambition with scale-up to industrially relevant conditions by integrating with European industry. Three central chemical processes for converting water, CO2, and N2 to fuels and base chemicals are the scientific targets.
Project coordinator Jens K. Nørskov, Villum Kann Rasmussen Professor at the Technical University of Denmark, said, “The approach is to aggregate fragmented knowledge and excellence throughout Europe by building on the existing critical mass and developing an ecosystem to overcome the unresolved barriers to these chemical conversion technologies. ENERGY-X will not only create scalable scientific solutions but also transfer this knowledge into two demonstration projects, namely the manufacturing of carbon-neutral aviation fuels and the decentralised production of fertilisers with zero CO2 footprint.”
ENERGY-X brings together an interdisciplinary academic research (chemistry, physics, engineering, economics and social science) with cross-industrial technological expertise (chemistry, engineering, utilities, mobility, agriculture) to provide a platform for future chemical energy conversion technology in Europe. It will consolidate and enhance the global leadership role of the European energy and chemical industry, benefitting job creation and sustainable growth in the EU.
Press Release, ENERGY-X
Prague, March 4th, 2019