CCU-Net is a consortium of 4 Nordic universities that focuses on developing materials and technologies for the CO2-capture and fixation into “CO2-neutral” fuels and chemicals.
The world is facing enormous challenges that threaten life on planet Earth. The increasing amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs, e.g. CO2, CH4) is warming the atmosphere and promoting extreme weather conditions around the globe. Considering these dramatic changes, low-carbon economies are addressed in the short term and long term by Nordic and European (EU) policies to secure a clean and energy-efficient future for mankind. Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) have been realized as an integral part of achieving a low-carbon sustainable future. Technologies for CO2 capture and fixation into "CO2-neutral" fuels and chemicals are urgently needed.
Based on the expertise of the different partners in the project consortium, the Nordic PhD and researcher mobility project "CCU-Net" will focus on two core research areas:
- Synthesis of tailored adsorbents for CO2 capture and conversion based on porous adsorbents (Metal-Organic Frameworks, zeolites, carbons etc.), the development of advanced shaping technologies, modelling, and testing of adsorbents for CO2 separation, e.g. post-combustion CO2 capture and CO2 capture from raw biogas streams by swing adsorption technologies.
- Utilization of CO2 to produce high energy density fuels and chemicals, which have been envisioned as an important research direction for climate change mitigation. Work in this area will focus on tailoring catalysts for CO2 conversion by a feedback loop between catalyst synthesis, characterization, performance testing and mechanistic studies.
Within this context, the "CCU-net" training program will support and train outstanding researchers working at CCU by advancing their skills in science, engineering and social competence. These scientists shall evolve into experts and leaders in academia, industry and government to navigate and lead future developments in CCU.
The project consortium consists of Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Luleå University of Technology (LTU), University of Oslo (UiO) and University of Eastern Finland (UEF). The project manager and main contact person is Andreas Kaiser (Associate professor, DTU).