SOREC2 to transform captured CO2 into C2 value-added products

Large amounts of CO₂ are being released into the atmosphere every day. This is augmenting the greenhouse effect, which consequently is increasing global warming. There are currently many innovative initiatives that aim to tackle this major challenge by finding ways to reduce CO₂ in the atmosphere and also tackle the world’s energy needs. 

SOREC2, a new Horizon Europe project coordinated by UPC Professor at ICFO Dr Jordi Martorell, seeks to develop a new  technology solely powered by direct sunlight to convert CO₂ into C₂ products, such as ethanol and ethylene, liquid fuels that can store chemical energy in a safe manner.

The project’s international consortium brings together the expertise of 4 research institutions including ICFO (coordinator), the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the University of Ferrara (UNIFE), and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as well as 1 social sciences and technology assessment partner, The Danish Board of Technology (DBT), and 3 industrial partners, VITSOLC (an ICFO spin-off company), SAULE Technologies, and Gemmate Technologies.  The eight consortium members will work together over the next three years to enable the transformation of scientific research efforts into a technology with societal and economic impacts.

SOREC2’s conversion approach relies on the development of a hybrid catalyst system, which combines a CO₂ reduction (CO₂R) catalyst and a concerted proton–electron transfer (CPET) molecular mediator. To power this conversion system, SOREC2 will develop a sunlight multilayered harvesting system composed of three photovoltaic elements: a n-type semiconductor, a T-OPV class organic photovoltaic cell, and a perovskite solar cell. Perovskite holds a promising future for the creation of flexible and texturized solar panels, is made of fairly lightweight materials, is economical to produce and as efficient as silicon based solar cells.