The large-scale development of intermittent renewable energies, such as solar and wind power, requires the development of innovative energy storage technologies. Alongside electrochemical storage (batteries), chemical storage, which involves converting these renewable energies into fuels (hydrogen or hydrocarbons) and chemical products, is a strategy of great interest.
Faced with these challenges, the Collège de France, and more specifically the laboratory of Prof. Marc Fontecave, holder of the Chemistry of Biological Processes chair, has joined forces with the Total group, through a 5-year collaboration contract signed in January 2019, to develop an original project to convert carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons (e.g. ethylene) and alcohols (e.g. ethanol) using renewable electrical energy.
The aim is to discover new, efficient, stable and inexpensive catalysts to carry out this transformation, to understand, through coupled experimental and theoretical approaches, their intimate mechanisms and to use them in practical technological devices such as electrolyzers.
This project is based on a strong coupling between excellent fundamental research and technology transfer to industry and the business world.
This partnership between Total and Professor Marc Fontecave's laboratory will enable the Collège de France to build a high-level experimental platform for the study of these catalysts and devices, and to host young researchers (doctoral and post-doctoral students), with the ambition of achieving, at the end of 5 years, breakthrough technological innovations in the field of energy storage andCO2 recovery.
Total's ambition forCO2 conversion
Total is a major energy player, producing and marketing low-carbon fuels, natural gas and electricity. Its 100,000 employees are committed to making energy safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible.
Active in over 130 countries, its ambition is to become the leader in responsible energy. In line with this, Total is allocating up to 10% of its research and development budget to the field ofCO2 capture, storage and recovery (CCUS), in order to help mitigate climate change and prepare for new business opportunities.
In this context, Total is developing a portfolio ofCO2-based products obtained by chemical conversion, aimed at long-term mass markets. Its collaboration with Collège de France will be the cornerstone for evaluating and preparing the industrial electrolytic reduction ofCO2 into chemicals and fuels.
Total's ambition inCO2 conversion
Total is a major energy player, which produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major. In line with this ambition, we allocate up to 10% of our R&D budget to the area of Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS), to participate to climate change mitigation and prepare for new business opportunities. In this context, we are developing a portfolio ofCO2-based products obtained via chemical conversion, targeting mass markets in the long term. Our collaboration with Collège de France will be a cornerstone for the evaluation and preparation of industrialCO2 electro-reduction to chemicals and fuels.
