RELATED INITIATIVES

FuelGae

The FuelGae project aims to develop advanced liquid fuels (ALF) by utilising CO2 emissions from biorefineries and energy-intensive industries. It involves integrating a microalgae pilot plant into industrial infrastructure and improving microalgae strains for each case study. Technologies include selective microalgae production, biomass treatments, catalytic upgrading, and an online sensor. The project incorporates modelling into a Digital Twin (DT) and focuses on enhancing the Circular Economy (C-economy) through hydrothermal liquefaction and biogas processes. Technologies will be upscaled to TRL5 in Romanian and Spanish industrial sites. Environmental impact and economic sustainability will be assessed through life cycle assessment (LCA/LCC), coupled with DT for a dynamic evaluation. FuelGae aims to advance European scientific knowledge, and technological leadership in renewable fuels, and contribute to EU energy independence by 2050, especially in aviation and shipping sectors.

https://fuelgae.eu/

SUN-to-LIQUID II

SUN-to-LIQUID II addresses the European Green Deal’s goal of a 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050, focusing on renewable fuel development. This project employs an integrated solar-thermochemical pathway to produce sustainable fuels directly from sunlight, water, and CO₂. The primary objective is to achieve a groundbreaking 15% energy conversion, three times the state of the art, through novel concepts and lab-scale developments. The project aims to optimize solar concentrating systems, develop 3D structured reactants, and implement high-temperature heat recovery. SUN-to-LIQUID II, with a 48-month, 5.7-million-Euro investment, plans to demonstrate on-sun viability on a 50-kW scale and design a next-generation multi-megawatt-scale solar plant. The consortium, spanning five European countries, includes research organizations, industry partners, and an SME. The project anticipates significant progress in cost-effective, low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, especially for aviation, with technical scalability beyond projected future demand.

https://sun-to-liquid-2.eu/

SusAlgaeFuel Project

The EU has set a highly ambitious goal to increase the share of SAFs in the aviation industry from 2% in 2025 to 64% by 2050. Microalgae can play a critical role in meeting this fuel target, directly capturing carbon dioxide and contributing to the development of circular bioeconomy through the recovery of waste nutrients from agri-food-bioenergy sectors. The commercialisation of biofuels from microalgae has been hampered by systemic and technological limitations. SusAlgaeFuel aims to develop a range of innovative approaches based on waste treatment, digital sensors, cascading biorefinery, and multifunctional catalysts to enable a more sustainable and cost-competitive production of microalgae aviation fuels.

https://www.susalgaefuel.eu/

COCPIT

COCPIT seeks to revolutionise Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production by cultivating a lipid-rich microalgae strain in an intensified reactor powered by photovoltaic panels. Two pathways, Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL), are explored for SAF production with a focus on circularity, productivity, sustainability, and economic viability. Efficient lipid extraction and hydrotreatment catalysis are employed in the HEFA pathway, while the HTL pathway utilizes a specialized continuous reactor to enhance scalability. The circular design minimises by-products, incorporates an endogenous hydrogen feed system, recirculates nutrients, and reduces water intensity. The integrated system is evaluated using Unism software, providing a decision tool for investors within a marketplace to select suitable technologies and equipment. The tool aims to grow beyond the project, encompassing all certified and promising SAF production pathways.

https://www.cocpit-horizon.eu/

SUSTEPS

The SUSTEPS project is a comprehensive initiative focused on advancing the sustainable production of biofuels from microalgae. It addresses the entire value chain of this innovative process, aiming to identify and overcome challenges while maximizing opportunities. 

 

The project involves various key elements, including microalgae cultivation and carbon dioxide (CO₂) fixation, processing microalgae into biocrude, upgrading biocrude, producing green hydrogen, and valorizing aqueous streams.

 

Find more information on its website:

www.susteps.eu

SUSTAFUELS

SUSTAFUELS is a cluster resulting from the related initiatives ALFAFUELS, FUELGAE, COCPIT and SusAlgaeFue. These initiatives, each focused on innovative methods to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change, are joining forces to create a comprehensive approach to sustainable fuel production.

By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like microbial production, solar-powered photochemistry, and lipid-rich microalgae cultivation, the partnership aims to enhance environmental sustainability in the transportation sector.

AddScience:

AddScience Sweden AB conducts contract research and development, analytical and consulting services for industry and society, as well as public research with a focus on sustainable transition and bio-based products. AddScience specializes in chemical problem solving in the material, product and process areas, where we combine our knowledge and experience with both classical and state of the art analytical chemistry tools, such as GC-MS, in-house designed instruments and test rigs. Areas that we have worked in in the past with both problem solving and development are e.g. electronics, chemical processes, surface treatment, medical technology, quality monitoring, product durability/lifetime, food, water treatment, material emissions, biogas, recycling and algae cultivation.  AddScience shares the Industridoktorn® trademark with four additional companies in the area of chemistry and microbiology, operating out of newly built laboratory premises on Björkö in the northern archipelago of Gothenburg, Sweden. 

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