Green and low-carbon energy, including bioprocesses and waste recycling

A renewable, sustainable alternative to fossil-based energy, green energy—solar, wind, geothermal, or biomass—must be produced in such a way as to minimize environmental impacts like climate change.

To tackle the increasing threat of global warming, the development of clean sources of energy is one of the most fundamental technological challenges that our modern societies will have to face in the coming years.

Bioenergy, extracted from biomass and residues, is, so far, the number-one renewable energy source in Europe. In terms of biomass resources, microalgae offers enormous potential for the production of food, renewable chemical intermediates, and biofuels.

The conversion of biomass and waste produces organic compounds, chemicals, and gaseous/liquid fuels. Carbon molecules obtained either through biomass conversion or from direct carbon capture help close the carbon cycle.

Biosourced power-to-X technology consists of hydrogenating recycled carbon molecules through catalytic chemical conversion using carbon-free hydrogen to produce synthetic molecules of interest (methane, methanol, fuels, etc.) for the energy and chemical industries. Current research is focused on chemical selectivity, conversion efficiency, and overall energy efficiency.