21 July 2020

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is taking part with 3 million euros. Outlines can be submitted to Project Management Jülich.

Since 2016, the ERA-NET "Accelerating CCS Technologies", or ACT for short, has been funding research projects working on the capture, storage and utilisation of carbon dioxide (CO2). The demand for such CCUS (carbon dioxide capture, utilisation and storage) technologies will continue to grow worldwide. This is because many industrial processes produce CO2 as waste material. Until now, most of this ended up in the atmosphere as a climate-harming gas.

Carbon dioxide in its pure form can instead be used as a recyclable material in a variety of applications, such as in the production of synthetic fuels, cosmetics or plastics. Synthetic fuels can also be used to store electricity: Electricity is used in the synthesis process, and new electricity can be generated again at a later point in time when the fuel is burned.

However, the various uses of CO2 require innovative methods and technologies. Research projects are needed that focus on how carbon dioxide can be separated, purified, transported or stored as required and then reused economically.

Partner options in Europe, the USA, Canada and now also India

German companies, universities and research institutions now have another option in the ERA-NET partner search: In addition to France, Greece, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Romania, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as the Canadian province of Alberta, India has now also joined as a partner.

For Germany, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is participating in the latest, now 3rd call of the ERA-NET ACT with 3 million euros. Universities, scientific institutes and companies can now submit outlines to Project Management Jülich until 10 November 2020. It oversees the ACT activities as part of the 7th Energy Research Programme.