Substantial Investment of Over €35 Million for Significant R&D Alliance to Make Chemical Sector More Sustainable via Hydrogen Technology
Greening the Dutch Chemical Industry: The HyCARB Project
The HyCARB project, a major R&D consortium, is spearheading efforts to green the chemical industry in the Netherlands. With a total investment of €45.7 million, the project aims to develop technologies that produce carbon-based chemicals using hydrogen, green electrons (renewable electricity), and captured CO₂.
The consortium is a collaboration between 9 universities, 5 universities of applied sciences, 3 research institutes, and 30 companies, coordinated by TNO, Utrecht University, and Eindhoven University of Technology. The Dutch National Growth Fund and GroenvermogenNL are providing over €35 million in funding, with an additional €10.3 million contributed by the consortium members.
The HyCARB project targets one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize due to its entrenched fossil feedstock dependence. By focusing on cost- and energy-efficient sustainable production of fuels and chemicals, the project aims to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions and scale up green hydrogen use in the Netherlands and worldwide.
The project pursues breakthroughs through various means. It develops and tests improved catalysts for thermal and electrochemical CO₂ conversion, enhances key process components such as reactors and electrolysers, investigates innovative electric process heat solutions, and combines laboratory research with techno-economic and life-cycle assessments to support stepwise decarbonization of the chemical industry.
Maryam Alimoradi Jazi, Program Manager at GroenvermogenNL, emphasizes the importance of collaboration in the HyCARB project. She highlights that the project complements other initiatives by focusing on hydrogen end-use, a key aspect in the transition towards a green economy.
The chemical industry is a sector of great value to the Dutch economy, and it's essential that the Netherlands retains this sector while helping it transition in line with the energy transition. The HyCARB project is a significant step towards achieving this goal, as chemistry can significantly contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by switching to green chemistry and green electrons.
The HyCARB project emphasizes a collaborative approach to deliver practical, scalable technological solutions that integrate renewable feedstocks and energy into chemical manufacturing processes. The project will run for five years, with a goal to develop technologies for industrial end users to produce carbon-based chemicals using hydrogen, green electricity, and captured CO₂.
In conclusion, the HyCARB project is a promising initiative that brings together knowledge institutions and companies to green the chemical industry. By focusing on cost- and energy-efficient sustainable production of fuels and chemicals, the project aims to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions and scale up green hydrogen use in the Netherlands and worldwide.
- The HyCARB project, in collaboration with various universities, research institutes, and companies, is investing significantly in developing technologies for producing carbon-based chemicals using green hydrogen, green electrons (renewable electricity), and captured CO₂ as part of the Netherlands' energy transition.
- With a focus on hydrogen end-use, the HyCARB project is a key aspect in the transition towards a green economy, aiming to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions and scale up the use of green hydrogen not just in the Netherlands, but worldwide.
- The HyCARB project's approach involves several innovations: improving catalysts for CO₂ conversion, enhancing key process components like reactors and electrolysers, investigating novel electric process heat solutions, and combining laboratory research with techno-economic and life-cycle assessments to support decarbonization.
- As the chemical industry is vital to the Dutch economy, the HyCARB project's goal is to help it transition in line with the energy transition, with chemistry having the potential to significantly contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by switching to green chemistry and green electrons.
- The five-year HyCARB project aims to deliver practical, scalable technological solutions that integrate renewable feedstocks and energy into chemical manufacturing processes, offering a promising pathway for the greening of the Dutch chemical industry and contributing to the global fight against climate-change.
