Philippe Schild

European Commission – DG Research & Innovation

Senior ExpertSUNRISE Meeting

15th November 2018

Converting Sunlight Innovation Challenge

•Mission Innovation - Background

•Converting Sunlight Innovation Challenge

•What we have done so far

•What the European Commission is doing

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Doubling governmental investment in Clean Energy RD&D over 5 years (2015-20)

Mission Innovation Background

� 24 Members (23 countries + EC) of which 10 EU MS

� Morocco, South Africa and Argentina expressed interest to join MI.

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Mission Innovation Innovation Challenges

Challenge 8 (new): Renewable and Clean Hydrogen Innovation Challenge

Able to devote resource to developing the work programme

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge

Why ?

Artificial Photosynthesis: Potential and Reality (EC Study 2015)

• Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is considered among the most promisingnew technologies able to deliver sustainable alternative fuels

• >150 research groups worldwide identified at the time� 113 in Europe (15 countries, 65 institutions)� The field is moving fast and new players are entering it

• Very wide scope of solutions

• Main technical challenges� Efficiency, durability, sustainability

• Main non technological challenges� coordination of S&T efforts, “be unknown” effect (past), “hype” (now)

European Commission interest to new solutions

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge Aims

The Opportunity

In order to deploy solar fuel technologies at large scale, performancebreakthroughs and cost reductions are a must. For this to happen, theMission Innovation Converting Sunlight Innovation Challenge invitesgovernments and the private sector to focus their research andinnovation efforts in this direction.

Producing carbon-neutral clean fuels (such as hydrogen, etc.) and usinginnovative metal and organometallic compounds, with the ability to storeenergy from a boundless source, will not only contribute to mitigatingclimate change. It will also serve to enhance energy security and willprovide opportunities for economic development across the globe.Converting sunlight to obtain these fuels and energy storagechemicals is an innovation challenge with great opportunities.

Discover affordable ways to convert sunlight into storable solar fuels and/or solar chemical products

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge Work-Plan - Targets

• There should be a plausible pathway to scale the technology to theterawatt scale until 2050;

• Earth abundant and non-toxic device materials and reactants should beused;

• Plausible potential for an EROI > 10 (EROI: Energy returned on energyinvested);

• Full recyclability of the conversion devices in the context of a circulareconomy.

Overarching Targets

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge Work-Plan - Focus

• Catalyst development for water splitting and CO2 reduction (oxygenevolution reaction - OER, hydrogen evolution reaction - HER and CO2reduction reaction – CO2RR);

• Improved light-harvesting and efficient charge separation inphotocatalytic systems;

• Cyanobacteria or micro-algae that excrete fuels into a surroundingmedium;

• Photoelectrochemical cells – PECs;

• Thermochemical pathways to energy rich chemicals (using concentratedsolar light);

• Design and engineering of devices for the production of energy richchemicals.

Focusing on 6 technology areas

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge

• Each participating countries to initiate activities;� Getting the best out of these

• Stimulating exchange of researchers;

• Dissemination about the challenges;� 2nd ISF Conference, San Diego, July 2017� Gordon Conference on Solar Fuels, Ventura, January 2018� 3rd MMAP, Cancun, March 2018� 1st ePS, Upssala, June 2018� 6th SFSC, Dalian, October 2018

Implementing and expanding collaborations

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge

• Mission Innovation Champions, annual recognition prizewww.michampions.net, first deadline was in September 2018;

• India launched a Funding Opportunity Annoucement (FOA)http://mission-innovation-india.net/foa/, deadline in September 2018;

• Germany to open funding opportunity in their 7th Research ProgrammePossibly in December 2018, https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/Publikationen/Energie/7th-energy-research-programme-of-the-federal-government.html;

• European Commission launched new funding opportunities and a prize

What has been done so far…

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ConvertingSunlight Challenge

• Enhancing international collaboration and exchange of best practices;

• Developing international collaboration networking to look into:� Establish test standards� Study the value chains of the different concepts� Agree on a common roadmap

• Establishing bi-/multi-lateral research programmes/projects;

Next …

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European CommissionNext 2 years

• Work Programme 2018-2020:

� Launching an inducement prize;� Broadening of topics� Dedicated topics

• Timeline:� Deadlines to watch August 2019 and 2020

• Horizon 2020:� Proposals to a topic & evaluated by independant experts� Minimum consortium 3 member states or associated states� Non-EU Participants are allowed

Implementing through Horizon 2020 Research Programme

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European CommissionNext 3 years Next - Steps

Aim:Develop the best fully functional prototype producing a sustainable fuelby combining sunlight, water and carbon via an artificial photosynthesisprocess.

Deadline � 3rd Feburary 2021

Award will be given after a grand final of the ten best prototype in whichreal life operation will be done

Who � Anybody that can develop, build and run such a device

Reward � 5M€

Inducement Prize Artificial Photosynthesis: Fuel from the Sun

Launched on 12th December 2017

ec-fuelfromsun-eic-prize@ec.europa.eu14

European CommissionNext 3 years

LC-SC3-RES-1-2019-2020 Developing the next generation of renewable energy

technologiesBringing these new energy conversion solutions, new renewable energy concepts and innovative renewable energy uses faster to commercialization

From TRL 3 to 4

EUR 20 million

Project size:EUR 2 – 3 million

• Beside the development of the technology, the proposal will have to clearly address the following related aspects: the potential lower environmental and climate impact on a life cycle basis, the better resource efficiency, issues related to social acceptance or resistance to new energy technologies, related socioeconomic and livelihood issues.

• Support will be given to activities which focus on converting renewable energy sources into an energy vector, or the direct application of renewable energy sources.

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European CommissionNext 3 years

LC-SC3-RES-29-2019 Converting Sunlight to storable chemical energy

• At least one of the following technology-specific challenges has to be addressed:

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• - Improved light-harvesting and efficient charge separation in photocatalytic systems;

• - Photoelectrochemical cells – PECs and catalyst development;

• - Thermochemical pathways to energy rich chemicals (using concentrated solar light); and

• - Design and engineering of devices, systems or prototypes integrating together the different processes, with day and night control and applicability for the production of chemical energy rich carriers.

Bringing these new energy conversion solutions,

Up to TRL 4 to 5

EUR 6 million

Project size:EUR 2 – 3 million

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European CommissionNext 3 years

LC-SC3-RES-29-2019 Converting Sunlight to storable chemical energy

• Activities:

• - To contribute towards the activities of the "Converting Sunlight Innovation Challenge".

• - The consortium is expected to budget the participation in the development of the Challenge work plan through activities such as dissemination, exchange of researcher and networking as well as through contributing in official meetings.

• Eligibility:

• - Proposals shall include at least one participant from a non-EU/Associated country member of Mission Innovation (i.e. Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States).

• - Standard rules on eligibility for EU funding apply.

Specificrequirements onInternational collaboration

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Diamond materials for the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to fine chemicals and fuels using visible light

(DIACAT)

Main goal:

A completely new technology for the directphotocatalytic conversion of CO2 into organicchemicals using solar light.

University Wuerzburg, Germany Nanodiamond surface chemistry, coordination

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics

Diamond primary materials, prototype reactor

Commissariat a la EnergieAtomique, France

Diamond primary materials, surface characterization

Oxford University, UK Photo-electrochemistry

Helmholtz-Center for materials and energie, Germany

Spectroscopic characterization

IOLITEC GmbH, Germany Ionic liquids

Uppsala university, Sweden Theoretical investigation

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Energy ResearchProgramme

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Energy ResearchProgramme

Further Information

• Mission Innovationhttp://mission-innovation.net/

• Inducement Prizeec-fuelfromsun-eic-prize@ec.europa.eu

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/sunfuel-eicprize-2021.html

• Horizon 2020 Helpdesk - Research Enquiry Service: http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=enquiries

• National Contact Points (NCPs):http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/support/national_contact_points.html

• Participant Portal:http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.html

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HORIZON 2020

Thank you for your attention!

philippe.schild@ec.europa.eu@PhilippeSchild