DECADE project proposes a new photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) approach for the conversion of CO2 avoiding water oxidation as anodic reaction to overcome the current limits in PEC system and to maximize effective energy utilization. Novel PEC technology will be developed up to TRL 5 (prototype testing under environmental relevant conditions) using alcohols and waste CO2 as feed. Different applications are investigated: green refinery, distributed green solvent production and use to lower carbon footprint in methanol plant. In the main application, bioethanol and waste CO2 are used to produce a mixture of ethyl acetate (EA) and ethyl formate (EF) in ethanol, to be used as drop-in green solvent or as octane booster fuel component. The net impact is to produce valuable added-value products through an energy-efficient PEC device, to lower the carbon footprint by using waste CO2 and introducing renewable energy in the production chain. DECADE project will develop the PEC concept and validate at prototype unit for distributed production (productivity > 1 g/h of EA and > 1A current density per single 10x10 cm module). Optimization and engineering of electrode/materials and of the PEC design is driven by techno-economic, LCA, market & social assessments. There are several elements of innovation in the proposed DECADE approach, based on the identification of the critical issues in the current PEC design. The project is organized around three main areas: i) advances in materials and technology, with a series of novel concepts and materials proposed (TRL 3 -> 4), ii) upscaling and prototype design & manufacture (TRL 4 -> 5), focused at improving performances, stability and reduce costs, and iii) process validation by using the prototype (TRL 5). Consortium partnership has a strong industrial character, but comprises top level scientists in the area and international collaboration with Japan to allow the best possible benchmarking for the novel approach developed.

The Oracle will develop scalable alternative reaction technologies for decentralised production of ammonia as a renewable fuel from N2 and H2O. Three strands for ammonia synthesis will be developed and validated at TRL3: electro-catalytic, plasma-aided electrocatalytic as well as electrified thermal catalysis process that will serve as a benchmark. The ORACLE proposes to test overlooked electrocatalysts for electrochemical synthesis of NH3 from N2 and H2O. To increase the selectivity ORACLE proposes to develop plasma-aided electrochemical cells and test exciting new concepts of NOx and H2 recombination to NH3 in an electrochemical cell. Here NOx and H2 are sourced from plasma-assisted electrolysis of N2 and H2O. The ORACLE system processes will integrate catalysts and reactor technology to create adaptable user-centered system for localized on-site ammonia production. The processes have the potential to decisively transform existing large-scale ammonia based production towards a non-fossil-based economy. At the core of ORACLES’s systems are tuned (electro)catalyst design and their 3D controlled deposition for, on the one hand magnetic nanoparticle-bearing catalyst compositions for the thermocatalytic process and, on the other hand, NRR reduction, OER and HOR catalysts for the (plasma-assisted) electro-catalytic process. The electrified thermal catalysis will use local heat delivery through magnetic particles-mediated AC-fields to push the catalytic process beyond the reactor heat transfer limits. The ORACLE project partners have accumulated a wealth of experience in e-fuels within a number of projects. In addition, the ORACLE project will benefit from the European longstanding collaboration with two Japanese research centres, AIST and ORIST. To reach this ambitious goal, ORACLE will draw on the complimentary expertise of its industrial ammonia producer CASALE and innovative catalyst manufacturer C2CAT, who cover two opposite ends of commercially-driven value chain.