From heat-driven processes to the use of mechanical and electric forces (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA)

Expected Outcome:Energy Intensive industries will benefit from the following outcomes:

• Enable the integration of renewable electricity in the process industries by transitioning from heat driven to direct electricity driven process units in a plant;
• Contribute to achieving the EU climate neutrality objective as well as proposed 2040 90% GHG reduction target[1];
• Achieve 25% energy savings compared to processes based on relevant Best Available Technologies;
• Improve the economic viability of the entire unit compared to the state-of-the-art heat-driven process and increase the competitiveness and resilience of the European process industry.

Scope:The generation of heat, which is often sourced from fossil fuel combustion, is the biggest consumer of energy in the process industries and responsible for 60% of process industries GHG emissions. Heat input is in particular commonly used in separation and drying processes. The topic focuses on the development of new electrically driven industrial processes where heat input in such processes is replaced by electro-mechanical power or other forms of direct electrical input. These electrified processes could represent a major reduction of GHG emissions as well as an important source of energy savings. The scope does not include conventional electric heating or the use of heat pumps.

Proposals under this topic should address all of the following:

• Demonstrate and/or integrate highly efficient electrically driven technologies e.g., membrane technology, power ultrasound, mechanical activation, mechanically or electricity induced forces, electrochemical processes, that can replace traditional heating processes;
• Demonstrate and evaluate energy efficiency gains;
• Prove the effectiveness of the technologies towards GHG emission avoidance;
• Take a holistic approach which may include aspects such as redesign of equipment, requirements for advanced materials and integrated electrified processes;
• Ensure process safety, sufficient flexibility and ease of process control;
• Showcase improved CO2 reduction potential, performance, scalability and cost efficiency of the proposed solution through, at least, one realistic use case that can be replicable with demonstrable economic return.

The inclusion of a GHG avoidance methodology[2] is recommended and should provide detailed descriptions of baselines and projected emissions reduction.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination, underlining how the proposal will serve the purpose to boost industrial decarbonisation technologies supply chain in Europe. As project output an elaborated exploitation plan should be developed, including preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation and deployment (feasibility study, business plan and financial model) indicating possible private and public funding sources (e.g. Innovation Fund, InvestEU and cohesion policy funds). Societal- and environmental impact as well as implications for the workplace (including skills and organisational change) should be outlined.

This topic implements the co-programmed European partnership Processes4Planet.

[1] 2040 climate target - European Commission (europa.eu)

[2] That could follow Innovation Fund methodology: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/innovfund/wp-call/2021/call-annex_c_innovfund-lsc-2021_en.pdf