A grant amount of approximately 265.000 € was awarded to SolarSpring GmbH by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for the upcoming participation in the R&D project BEFuel consisting of 5 German partners. The aim of BEFuel is to develop a combined bioelectrochemical process for the utilisation of waste gases containing CO2 for the production of high-quality acids and alcohols with 6 to 8 carbon atoms. The official start of the project is 01.01.2024.
The joint project BEFuel is a response to the German national call for R&D activities on the topic of "Climate-neutral products through biotechnology - CO2 and C1 compounds as sustainable raw materials for the industrial bioeconomy (CO2BioTech)" as part of the national bioeconomy strategy. Together with the Fraunhofer Umsicht, the Ruhr-University Bochum, the Emschergenossenschaft, and the Magdeburg based Institute for Automation und Communication, SolarSpring will be tackling this important topic as a contribution towards industrial decarbonisation. The storage of fluctuating renewable energies in the form of chemical compounds, i.e., as e-fuels, represents a sustainable and profitable alternative to conventional batteries that can accelerate the transition to a defossilised industry. The aim of BEFuel is to develop a combined bioelectrochemical process for the utilisation of waste gases containing CO2 for the production of high-quality acids and alcohols with 6 to 8 carbon atoms (C6 and C8, respectively). These high-value products are formed directly in nutrient solutions from wastewater by a biotechnological process based on acetogenic and C-chain-extending microorganisms combined with selective product separation by a membrane system.
SolarSpring's role in the consortium will be that of developer and technology provider of said membrane system. By building on their vast experience in membrane module development, and collaborating with process experts within the consortium, a pilot scale prototype tested with real feed solutions is the expected outcome of the 3-year project. These novel membrane modules will provide a valuable extension of SolarSprings existing product portfolio and are expected to unlock a new market sector aligning with the company's goals of providing system technology for sustainable industrial applications and resource recovery.
For the participation in the 3-year BEFuel project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, SolarSpring GmbH will receive 265 k€ with a funding rate of 70%.
This disclosure contains information that Clean Industry Solutions Holding Europe is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU nr 596/2014). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person, on 22-11-2023 10:58 CET.