Project description DEENESFRITPL Novel photoelectrochemical cell for efficient sunlight to chemical energy conversion Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) that mimic photosynthesis are direct systems for converting sunlight to stored chemical energy and don’t involve unnecessary steps, such as converting sunlight to electricity. Despite their potential, current PECs are very inefficient in absorbing sunlight and mostly incorporate non-abundant or highly toxic elements. To address this problem, the EU-funded LICROX project aims to implement a new PEC that incorporates three complementary light-absorbing elements driving water oxidation and CO2 reduction. The latter consists of a tandem assembly that combines copper nanocatalysts with molecular catalysts made of only abundant elements. The best-in-class compounds will be used for validating several light-trapping mechanisms to enhance PEC's light-harvesting efficiency. The project will pave the way for a new scalable renewable energy technology that efficiently converts sunlight to stored chemical energy. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) that mimic photosynthesis belong to the group of direct systems for converting sunlight to stored chemical energy. Common to those is the potential to become more efficient and cost effective because, unlike indirect ones, they do not involve unnecessary steps such as the sunlight to electricity conversion. Despite their greater potential, there is yet no direct conversion device that works on any technological scale. Indeed, there seems to be a large barrier linked to a poor PEC efficiency in absorbing sunlight and driving the catalysis for water oxidation (WO) and selective CO2 reduction (CO2R) to carbon-based compounds to store chemical energy. In addition, most PEC designs incorporate non-abundant or highly toxic elements precluding their future use at a larger scale.In LICROX we will implement a new PEC type incorporating three complementary light absorbing elements driving WO and CO2R. The latter consists of a tandem assembly that combines Cu nanocatalysts with molecular catalysts made of only abundant elements. The best-in-class transition metal oxides for the photo -anode and -cathode semiconductors will be used in the PEC to validate several light trapping mechanisms which have been proven to be very effective in boosting the light harvesting efficiency in thin film solar cells. To accelerate the endeavor of converting the triple junction PEC proposed into a working technology for transforming light and CO2 into compounds capable of storing chemical energy, LICROX brings together an interdisciplinary team of scientists with a comprehensive expertise in materials chemistry, semiconductor physics, electrochemistry, and photonics from EPFL, TUM, ICIQ and ICFO. Designing a strategy by DBT to overcome societal resistance, LICROX will set the route for a new scalable renewable energy technology to be initially pushed towards an industrial implementation and commercialization by AVA, HST and a newly developed spin-off from ICFO. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compoundsnatural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysisengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity Keywords photoelectrochemical cell artificial photosynthesis solar fuels light harvesting CO2 reduction water oxidation catalysis light scattering Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Main Programme H2020-EU.1.2.2. - FET Proactive Topic(s) FETPROACT-EIC-05-2019 - FET Proactive: emerging paradigms and communities Call for proposal H2020-FETPROACT-2019-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-EIC-FETPROACT-2019 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator FUNDACIO PRIVADA INSTITUT CATALA D'INVESTIGACIO QUIMICA Net EU contribution € 631 937,50 Address AVENIDA PAISSOS CATALANS 16 43007 Tarragona Spain See on map Region Este Cataluña Tarragona Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 631 937,50 Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN Germany Net EU contribution € 474 375,00 Address Arcisstrasse 21 80333 Muenchen See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 474 375,00 ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE Switzerland Net EU contribution € 475 440,00 Address BATIMENT CE 3316 STATION 1 1015 Lausanne See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 475 440,00 FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES Spain Net EU contribution € 512 787,50 Address AVINGUDA CARL FRIEDRICH GAUSS 3 08860 Castelldefels See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 512 787,50 AVANTAMA AG Switzerland Net EU contribution € 430 625,00 Address LAUBISRUETISTRASSE 50 8712 Staefa See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 430 625,00 FONDEN TEKNOLOGIRÅDET Denmark Net EU contribution € 359 687,50 Address SOROGADE 6 3 2100 KOBENHAVN O See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 359 687,50 HYSYTECH SRL Italy Net EU contribution € 314 750,00 Address STRADA DEL DROSSO 33 18 10135 Torino See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Nord-Ovest Piemonte Torino Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 314 750,00
