The Sun-To-X project focuses on using solar energy to produce a carbon-free, non-toxic, energy-dense, liquid fuel for use in transport and energy storage.
Significant progress has been made in recent years toward the production of electricity from renewable energy. However, the production of chemical fuels, which currently make up around 80% of the energy we consume (IEA, World Energy Balances, 2020), from renewable energy is more challenging. The development of green production methods of chemical fuels, where renewable energy is stored in chemical bonds, such as hydrocarbons and hydrogen, is critical as a way to buffer the intermittent energies (such as wind and solar), key in supporting the national or international transport of energy, and useful in providing energy to remote or decentralised locations.
To tackle this challenge, Sun-To-X has been funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme and is a consortium of nine partners comprised of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), industry, and Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The project started in September 2020 and is planned to conclude in February 2024.