Direct atmospheric carbon capture and conversion

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to at least one of the following expected outcomes:

• Increase knowledge of existing/develop new materials for direct atmospheric carbon capture and conversion technologies; or
• Address potential barriers to incorporation of direct air capture in existing CC(U)(S) concepts; or
• Make direct atmospheric carbon capture and conversion technologies a viable technology to make the EU carbon neutral by increasing the TRL levels of the different technological options.

This topic focusses on Direct Atmospheric Carbon Capture and Conversion, which is a technology that can help reaching climate neutrality by 2050 by i) creating the carbon sinks required to balance out residual emissions in 2050 and/or ii) using carbon captured from the air as a raw material to replace other fossil raw materials.

The scope of this topic is to establish the technological feasibility of Direct Atmospheric Carbon Capture and Conversion, including the environmental, social and economic benefits with the goal of establishing this concept as a viable technology to fight climate change the potential technologies require major technological breakthroughs, for example by

• Increasing knowledge of existing/develop new oxygen-tolerant catalysts for photo/electro-reductive conversion of carbonates/carbamates; or
• Developing thermal chemical conversion technologies for direct atmospheric carbon capture and conversion; or
• Developing photo(electro)chemical conversion technologies for direct conversion of atmospheric CO₂ to direct atmospheric carbon capture and conversion.

Technological concepts supported under this topic should i) combine capture and conversion in a single step, eliminating the need to regenerate absorbents or adsorbents and/or ii) be able to enable decentralised production of chemicals and fuels using solar energy devices.

Projects that include research into the use of direct air capture for enhanced oil recovery will not be considered.

This topic focusses on technological concepts at low TRLs (TRL 3 or lower). Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.