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INNOVATION
Development of metal oxide base IR catalysts reforming ethanol to H2 and valuable organic products.
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Market Maturity: Exploring
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Market Creation Potential
This innovation was assessed by the JRC’s Market Creation Potential indicator framework as addressing the needs of existing markets and existing customers. Learn more
Go to Market needs
Needs that, if addressed, can increase the chances this innovation gets to (or closer to) the market incude:
  • Prepare for Market entry
  • Scale-up market opportunities
Location of Key Innovators developing this innovation
Key Innovators
UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDG)
This innovation contributes to the following SDG(s)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

The UN explains: "Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes, access to energy for all is essential.

Transitioning the global economy towards clean and sustainable sources of energy is one of our greatest challenges in the coming decades. Sustainable energy is an opportunity – it transforms lives, economies and the planet."

The EU-funded Research Project
This innovation was developed under the Horizon Europe project GH2 with an end date of 30/09/2025
  • Read more about this project on CORDIS
Description of Project GH2
Water splitting for H2 production driven by solar energy is quite attractive while the current efficiency is very moderate due to both the extremely sluggish water oxidation half reaction and limited light harvesting (mostly UV-visible light). In addition, the separation of one product H2 from the other O2 during water splitting is very costly. The project is designed to address these challenges by i) utilizing the full solar spectrum (300-2500nm) instead of UV-visible light (300-700nm), ii) coupling water splitting with biomass-derivative oxidation to avoid water oxidation, iii) well combining solid Z-scheme UV-visible photocatalysis and Infrared-driven thermal catalysis, and iv) using a flow double tube reactor other than batch reactors, thus targeting to produce green H2 from both water and biomass with a high quantum yield of 60% . Furthermore the project will co-produce high-value chemicals with a high selectivity of >90%. In addition, the integration of low-cost and efficient catalysts with novel flow reactors will assure a continuous and efficient production of H2 and high-value chemicals. The entire process does not use fossil fuels nor produce CO2, thus a zero carbon-emission technology. Finally the system can be readily scaled up by numbering up the reactor modules. All these are built upon a multidisciplinary and international consortium with the global experts in photocatalysis, thermal catalysis, reactor engineering, product separation, simulation and social science. Therefore the scientific and technical challenges, as well as the environmental, societal and economic impacts will be fully addressed in the project. The proposed technology will typically benefit the EU economy by an innovative green H2 production process from water and biomass, heavily contributing to a low carbon society. In addition, the international team including members from Asia will facilitate the technology exploitation out of the EU, to further benefit the EU economy.

Innnovation Radar's analysis of this innovation is based on data collected on 21/11/2023.
The unique id of this innovation in the European Commission's IT systems is: 115983