HySolChem  (A Hybrid Reactor for Solar CO2 and N2 Conversion Coupled to WasteWater Treatment) is a 36-month project, which started in January 2021 and was selected among proposals submitted for FET Proactive Emerging Paradigms and Communities call (FETPROACT-EIC-07-2020), in subtopic B: Breakthrough zero-emissions energy storage and conversion technologies for carbon-neutrality. HySolChem focuses on converting greenhouse gases and pollutants that are normally present during wastewater treatment into energy-rich compounds.  

“Our project proposes breakthroughs in development of low cost and sustainable materials and devices for solar energy conversion and storage by the production of fuels and chemicals from CO₂/N₂ and water pollutants,” specify the researchers in the project proposal.

In order to reach this ambitious objectives, HySolChem investigates CO₂ valorisation strategies, artificial photosynthesis, N₂ fixation and micro-plastics contamination.

HySolChem is a high risk/high gain project, which will include design, development, testing and industrial validation of a prototype photo-reactor, which will ultimately be a powerful technology for the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions.

The prototype will be designed keeping in mind portable applications and scaling up, in order to make it fit for a wide range of intensive industries or energy producers.

The HySolChem consortium consists of academic, research and SME entities specialized in catalysis, materials science, batteries, water treatment, social and environmental impact, and intellectual property, and represents partners from Spain (Fundacion IMDEA Energia, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, APRIA Systems SL), Italy (INNOVA Srl), Belgium (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), Luxembourg (AMER-SIL SA), United Kingdom (Diamond Light Source Ltd).

Background information

FET-Open and FET Proactive are now part of the Enhanced European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot (specifically the Pathfinder), the new home for deep-tech research and innovation in Horizon 2020, the EU funding programme for research and innovation.