Type: M-ERA.NET
Project duration: 01.07.2025. – 30.06.2027.
Project coordinator: Adele Brunetti (Italy, NRC/IMT)
Responsible person from Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL): Dr.habil.phys. Jevgēnijs Kotomins
Project partners: National Research Council - Institute on Membrane Technology (Italy, Calabria), TechFem S.p.A. (Italy, Calabria), Jožef Stefan Institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Total funding: 1 057 853 EUR
ISSP UL funding: 210 000 EUR
Project summary:
The released gas of the industrial plants mainly contains CO2, whose reuse and conversion in valuable products such as fuels is highly recommended for moving toward “negative CO2 emissions”.
GRIPHUS project aims at the production of ecologically friendly fuels utilizing released CO2 gas with innovated processes based on advanced photocatalytic membrane reactors able to increase the overall process capability. This will be based on the new technology operated in continuous in a relevant environment by designing, building, operating and validating a lab-scale prototype of an advanced photocatalytic process assisted by membranes. Biogas upgrading is today a well-established technology for CH4 recovery and purification. In addition, the recent decision of EU (European Union) concerning the production of the so-called electrical (e)-fuels, opens a new way for fuel production by green hydrogen. Thus, we propose e-fuel production by the hydrogenation (with green hydrogen) of CO2 coming from the bio-gas manufacturing. The proposal focuses on CO2 reuse as carbon source in fuel cycle and basic blocks for e-fuels, such as methanol (MeOH). This objective will be pursued by combining the development of advanced photocatalysts and membranes with additional competences also in DFT modelling, fluid- dynamic, reaction and process engineering.
The approach will combine experimental (Slovenia, Italy) and theoretical (Latvia) activities, leading to the design and building up of a lab-prototype to be validated in relevant environment. In particular, the multiscale modelling will include the state-of-the-art quantum chemical simulations for the design and the understanding of fundamentals of catalytic structure developed. This will be coupled with the modelling and simulation of the single unit performance as well as of the whole integrated process.
GRIPHUS is a 3-year project, divided in 7 WPs which are linked to promote the cooperation of partners and to reach the project targets. The aim of this proposal is to bring the whole technology to TRL5 level. Particular attention will be devoted to the sustainability, end-of life and reuse of potential valuable compounds. Green solvents will be explored for the preparation of photocatalytic membranes.
GRIPHUS is a concrete initiative of promoting e-fuels production by CO2 valorisation with a positive impact on environment and on resources exploitation, thus, fostering toward a circular economy in EU for this specific sector. CO2 is longer not intended as an environmental issue but as a “resource”, with a carbon use for the production of green-chemicals and e-fuels.