TAIPI, Tools and Actions for Impact Assessment and Policy makers Information, is a CSA proposal to the “Policy environment for FET Flagships” topic of the call H2020-FETFLAG-2014. TAIPI addresses the scope of the this topic by undertaking actions related to: (i) Assessing the impacts of FET Flagship initiatives, including through metrics and indicators; (ii) Collection of information need for policy making, e.g. through consultation actions and surveys. The general objective of TAIPI is to support and strengthen the FET Flagship Initiative and the two selected Flagships. Specific objectives of TAIPI are: (i) To develop assessment methodologies along with the required toolkits which will be applied respectively to HBP and Graphene Flagships, (ii) To carry out the impact assessment of both Flagships and the Flagship policy by applying the specifically developed methodology and tools, (iii) To collect and provide information for policy makers and funding organizations participating to Flagships initiative, (iv) To transfer to the Flagships these developed toolkits, and to enable them to use these tools after the end of the CSA, thus ensuring the sustainability of the project activities. TAIPI is composed of 5 work packages: WP1 Management, WP2 Development of methodology, WP3 Impact assessment, WP4 Support to policy makers, WP5 Dissemination. TAIPI will assess the impacts of HBP and Graphene, enhance the flow of information from the Flagships towards policy makers, relevant stakeholders and wider public, improve the understanding of the impacts of the Flagships on science, technology, economy and society and contribute to create a stable and structured environment for the benefit of the FET Flagships. The environment created by TAIPI will thus benefit to the Flagships, allowing them to concentrate on the fields where they bring the highest added value to their stakeholders while they rely on up-to-date tools, developed by TAIPI, to monitor in real time their impacts.

Lidar is a high-performance system for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from space at a global scale. However, this type of instrument generally includes a complex laser system which has led in the past to significant delays of several European payloads (e.g. ADM-Aeolus, EarthCARE or MERLIN). HALLOA targets the development of a hybrid laser architecture, less complex than current free-space lasers, for greenhouse gas monitoring by Lidar. This laser architecture combines the advantages of fiber-based systems (compact and alignment-free) with those of free-space direct generation systems (high power). This development aims to reach the genuine optical performance for Lidar CO2/H2O monitoring from space and, for independency purpose, to use EU-only components/sub-systems. HALLOA will: 1- Develop new EU industrial capabilities and reach EU independency for two key critical sub-systems of the hybrid laser: the 2,05 m pulsed fiber amplifier and the high-power laser diode at 793 nm 2- Space qualify to TRL6, the pulsed fiber amplifier at 2.05m and the high-power laser pump diode at 793 nm 3- Demonstrate experimentally that a complete hybrid laser system, built with EU-only components/sub-systems, can meet the space-mission requirements for Lidar CO2/H2O monitoring. Finally, HALLOA will provide a technical roadmap to establish a European supply chain for the 2m hybrid-laser system for Lidar application, including a business plan for commercial exploitation of the pulsed fiber amplifier at 2m and a strategy for space mission insertion. The project involves 6 entities, including 3 non-profit research entities (ONERA, LMD, LZH), 2 industry key-players (KEOPSYS, LPI) and 1 SME (ERDYN). It will pave the way for building a cutting-edge and competitive European supply-chain. The TRL6 demonstration of a hybrid laser system in the eye-safe region for Lidar CO2 measurements will represent a major step forward for EU technological independence in this domain.

Biomass, a byproduct of natural photosynthesis, has been explored for its potential conversion into energy carriers, particularly biofuels. However, acknowledging the long-term limitations in biomass supply, as highlighted by the European Commission in the EU Bioeconomy Strategy Progress Report (2022), there is an urgent need for the development of advanced bioinspired technologies that mimic nature but exhibit higher efficiency. The S2B project aims to unlock the potential of photosynthetic microbes for the direct conversion of solar energy and CO2 into butanol by employing innovative concepts and approaches. Specifically, S2B will transfer the microbial production of butanol from conventional suspension cultivation to a tailored solid-state biocatalytic platform. In this platform, engineered thin-layer assemblies of cyanobacteria and bio-based matrix materials will synergistically enable the redistribution of cell resources, such as energy and carbon flows, towards butanol formation. Simultaneously, S2B will improve light management, enhance CO2 capture efficiency, and facilitate downstream processes by separating butanol from the production medium. Consequently, the primary technological innovation of S2B will be the continuous, long-term direct solar butanol production by photosynthetic cell factories acting as biocatalysts. The process will be integrated with waste effluent and direct air capture, covering the entire value chain from light harvesting and CO2 capture to product separation through the circular economy concept. Acting as a multidisciplinary consortium, S2B will construct a TRL4-level prototype, paving the way for a smooth upscaling process.

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.