Project R-12061

Disruptive photonic devices for highly efficient, sunlight-fueled chemical processes (Research)

The EU-funded SPOTLIGHT project will work on a new photonic device to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methane and carbon monoxide which is the starting material for producing methanol. Both methane and methanol fuels could find use in cars and energy storage applications. SPOTLIGHT's photonic device will comprise a transparent flow reactor optimised for light incoupling in the catalyst bed, secondary solar optics to concentrate sunlight and project it onto the reactor, and an energy-efficient light-emitting diode to work towards continuous round-the-clock operation. The new device and process concept are well suited for CO2 sources up to 1 Mt per year, which makes them complementary to existing large-scale carbon capture and utilisation processes.

01 January 2021 - 30 June 2024