Objectives
The core objective of PHOENIX is to integrate two distinct solar fuel technologies for a tandem solar-to-high energy density fuel generation through industrially viable and innovative approaches, taking the proposed concept to technology readiness levels of TRL 3-4 at the end of the project and thereby accelerating solar fuel research, innovation, and deployments in Europe.
Over the span of 36 months, PHOENIX seeks to accomplish its four main outlined objectives, which are described as follows:
O1: Fabrication of a 2T tandem cell employing wide bandgap and semi-transparent perovskite and CIGS absorbers with low roughness over 5×5cm2 using industrially viable techniques and match the operation characteristics of a CO2 electrolyzer.
The PHOENIX will develop a tandem PV coupled PV-EC system providing high voltages to efficiently run catalytic conversion. The power to drive the electrolyzer will be provided by a high-performance tandem PV device with two subcells, the bottom one made of the compound thin film semiconductor and the top cell of a perovskite absorber.
O2: Solar-driven Tandem CO2 conversion to propanol, paired with PET oxidation to overcome the thermodynamic and kinetic limitations of conventional oxidation reactions.
PHOENIX’s final ambition is to enable a cost-competitive hybrid system PV-EC-PEC capable of decarbonizing the production of GA from the recycling of PET and the upgrading of CO2 to n-propanol. The project will thrive on a toolbox of techniques and strategies directed to craft the PV-EC-PEC design to maximize the energy efficiency, fine tune the catalytic response, and enhance the solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency.
O3: Develop a scalable strategy and protocols to design stable photoanodes and to integrate electrocatalysts into these architectures as co-catalysts for the desired reactions.
PHOENIX will deliver the first unassisted solar-driven PV-PEC system capable of simultaneously upgrading CO and PET to value-added n-propanol and glycolic acid. This will be accomplished by combining high performance semi-transparent halide perovskite solar cells, a robust metal oxide photoanode and a gas-diffusion cathode.
O4: Validate the concept, identify and tackle the environmental impact through Life Cycle Assessment, and evaluate the recyclability of materials employed.
PHOENIX will evaluate the environmental and economic viability of different prototypes, benchmarking them to competing energy technologies. During the production / use phase of the life cycle, all material and processing choices are not only guided by technical considerations, but as well by life cycle / life cycle costing analysis, identifying main contributors to impacts and costs and avoiding these from a very early stage of development. Further, end-of-life recycling will be developed at such an early stage, decreasing impacts and costs further.
