The shift to a low-carbon EU economy raises the challenge of integrating renewable energy (RES) and cutting the CO2 emissions of energy intensive industries (EII). In this context, hydrogen produced from RES will contribute to decarbonize those industries, as feedstock/fuel/energy storage. MULTIPLHY thus aims to install, integrate and operate the world’s first high-temperature electrolyser (HTE) system in multi-megawatt-scale (~2.4 MW), at a chemical refinery in Salzbergen (DE) to produce hydrogen (≥ 60 kg/h) for the refinery’s processes. MULTIPLHY offers the unique opportunity to demonstrate the technological and industrial leadership of the EU in Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell (SOEC) technology. With its rated electrical connection of ~3.5 MWel,AC,BOL, electrical rated nominal power of ~2.6 MWel,AC and a hydrogen production rate ≥ 670 Nm³/h, this HTE will cover ~40 % of the current average hydrogen demand of the chemical refinery. This leads to GHG emission reductions of ~8,000 tonnes during the planned minimum HTE operation time (16,000 h). MULTIPLHY’s electrical efficiency (85 %el,LHV) will be at least 20 % higher than efficiencies of low temperature electrolysers, enabling the cutting of operational costs and the reduction of the connected load at the refinery and hence the impact on the local power grid. A multidisciplinary consortium gathers NESTE (a Green Refiner as end-user), ENGIE (a global energy system integrator & operator), PaulWurth (Engineering Procurement Construction company for hydrogen processing units), Sunfire (HTE technology provider) and the world-class RTO CEA. They focus on operation under realistic conditions and market frameworks to enable the commercialisation of the HTE technology. By demonstrating reliable system operation with a proven availability of ≥ 98 %, complemented by a benchmark study for stacks in the 10 kW range, critical questions regarding durability, robustness, degradation as well as service and maintenance are addressed

Among aviation’s non-CO2 impacts, the largest radiative forcing value is attributed to contrail cirrus. Recent tests have revealed an opportunity for lowering soot particles emissions and ice crystals -which play a pivotal role in contrail properties- through the use of SAF. However, substantial disparities remain among those test campaigns, involving a large variety of fuels, engine types and combustors. It is therefore not straightforward to compare and reconcile results. In this context, PACIFIC aims to bridge the gap: the project will test an unprecedented set of fuels from lab up to engine/aircraft level with a similarity of hardware and combustion parameters. It will translate the results into modelling efforts, to better correlate: (i) soot formation, based on an improved Yield Soot Index database and prediction model; (ii) particle emissions, depending on fuel composition for the whole engine thrust range via an upgraded ground-to-flight correlation methodology; (iii) the ice forming potential of engine emissions, using advanced measurement methods on ground; (iv) the non-CO2 emission mitigation potential, through the impact assessment of fuel composition and engine cycle on contrail properties and radiative forcing, and longer-term climate impacts (including CO2 emissions fuel production). This will allow to consolidate the cost-benefit assessment of various fuel options and provide valuable inputs to potential future fuel-related measures. By doing so, PACIFIC will pave the way for future fuel specifications minimizing the climate and local air quality impacts, and will provide important inputs to future modelling and testing work. PACIFIC leverages on 11 partners from 4 countries, bringing together a unique combination of engine/aircraft manufacturers, fuel producers, research and academic expertise at the forefront of sustainable aviation, collectively driving advancements to help strengthening the European aeronautics' leadership position.

Black Liquor to Fuel (BL2F) process produces drop-in biofuels for aviation and shipping from black liquor, a side stream of chemical pulping industry. 83 % CO2 reduction compared to fossil fuels, and competitive production cost of 0.90 €/l for drop-in sustainable aviation fuel are received. A large deployment, using a variety of biomass, can yield >50 billion liters of advanced biofuels by 2050, then satisfying the EU demand for advanced biofuels for aviation (15 Mtoe) and shipping (30 Mtoe). First-of-a-kind Integrated Hydro Thermal Liquefaction (IHTL) process at pulp mills produces fuel intermediate for further upgrading in oil refineries. Biomass is converted to low oxygen content (85 %. Integrated hydrothermal HydroDeOxygenation (IHDO) will further upgrade HTL-oil to fuel intermediate (< 5 w-% O2), classifying as bunker-like marine fuel or feedstock for high-quality aviation and marine fuels production. The process innovations of BL2F are: 1) combined salt separation and HTL-reactor, enabling direct upgrading of HTL-oil, 2) reforming of the aqueous phase to hydrogen, decreasing the need for external fossil hydrogen in IHDO, 3) integrating the process to pulp mill, offering cost reductions in treating of the gaseous and solid side streams by existing process installations. The BL2F is supported by CEPI, Avinor, and Rolls Royce and covers the whole value chain: The 6th largest producer in the world of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp NVG, the leading biorefinery supplier Valmet, catalyst developer Ranido and Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel collaborate with excellent research partners; VTT, PSI, SINTEF, Tampere University, KIT, Brunel University London. LGI and industrial partners maximize the impact of the project. The ambitious goals and strong consortium strengthens European leadership in renewable biofuels and climate protection.

Photofuel studies and advances the biocatalytic production of alternative liquid transportation fuels, which require only sunlight, CO2 and water. Microbial cells directly excrete hydrocarbon and long chain alcohol fuel compounds to the medium from which they are separated, without the need to harvest biomass. This significantly improves the costs and energy balances as only a minimum of nutrients is required for self-replication of the biocatalyst, whilst cell harvesting, drying and lipid extraction is omitted. Such minimum-input systems are compatible with operation on degraded or desert land which avoids the pitfalls of most of the currently available biofuel technologies. The products are drop-in fuels that fully or partially replace their fossil counterparts without the need for new infrastructure. To set a benchmark for alternative solar fuels, three research groups will collaborate in the advancement of the biocatalysts from TRL 3. The best biocatalytic system(s) will be up-scaled and operated outdoors in photobioreactors modified for direct fuel separation at a scale of several cubic meters (TRL 4-5). The identification of optimal future fuel blends with a fossil fuel base and Photofuel biofuels as additives, as well as the analysis of performance and emissions in car or truck engines, will be evaluated by the oil- and automotive-industry partners. The entire pathway will be assessed for environmental and economic performance as well as social acceptance of large scale production in rural communities and by the consumer. All results will be combined to a business development plan, which clearly identifies the opportunities but also the challenges prior to an economic fuel production in compliance to the EC Fuel Quality Directive.

The overall objective of REDIFUEL is to enable the utilization of various biomass feedstock for an ultimate renewable EN590 diesel biofuel (drop-in capable at any ratio) in a sustainable manner. REDIFUEL’S ambition is to develop new technologies, solutions and processes to be integrated to reach high conversion efficiencies for renewable fuel production. And, to proof the techno-economic potential to reach a highly competing production cost level of € 0.90 - 1.00 per litre (depending on biomass source) at moderate production plant sizes, e.g. 10-25 kt/a. The proposed drop-in biofuel contains high-cetane C11+ bio-hydrocarbons and C6-C11 bio-alcohols which has exceptional performance with respect to combustion and soot-inhibition properties. The environmental and the society aspects are taken into account by a comprehensive Biomass-to-Wheel performance check of the developed technologies.