International Cooperation with South Korea on new generation high-efficiency capture processes

Topic Description

The wider deployment of CCS requires a significant reduction of the energy intensity of the capture process for power plants or other energy-intensive industries, and a substantial decrease of the cost of capture. Basic research and proof of concept is needed for novel and efficient capture technologies for application in power production and industrial process.

The objective is to support the development of high-potential novel technologies or processes for post- and/or pre-combustion CO2 capture. Research should follow new paths leading to highly innovative technologies and materials for CO2 capture applications with the potential for real breakthroughs. This could include systems based on solids or liquids or a combination of these such as Dry Sorption Process, Membrane, and Wet sorption process. Environmentally benign technologies should be pursued and their environmental impact addressed in the project also in view of future scaling up. Projects shall include prototype testing under industrially relevant conditions. Any research that constitutes a technology demonstration at large scale or a combination of CCS technologies proven at pre-demonstration pilot scale will not be considered for funding.

With a view to promoting international cooperation with South Korea, initiatives for collaboration between the EU project(s) to be selected under this topic and the endorsed South Korean project(s) will be required on the basis of mutual benefit and reciprocity. Specific budget needs to be allocated in the EU project for pursuing such twinning activities (e.g. exchange of information, exchange of researchers). The Commission reserves the right to ask the coordinators of Horizon 2020 projects, during the grant preparation, to include further collaboration activities endorsed by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP).

Focus should be on progressing technologies that already reached TRL 2-3 to TRL 4-5 (please see part G of the General Annexes).

A related activity is supported under topic NMBP 22-2017: "High-performance materials for optimizing CO2 capture", included in the work programme part 'Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – 5.ii Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing', in which the focus is capitalising on promising material solutions for the next generation CO2 capture technologies.

Proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 to 5 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Significant reduction of the energy penalty of the whole capture process for power plants or other energy-intensive industries, and thus a considerable decrease of the fuel-dependent cost of capture; substantial reduction of the capital cost and of the operational and maintenance (O&M) costs (fixed and non-fuel variable costs) compared to existing technologies.