Advanced CO2 Transformation and Integration via high- TRL technologies

ACTI

Proposing Institution: Università di Parma

Name of the project’s Scientific Coordinator: Nicola Della Ca’

E-mail address of the project’s Scientific Coordinator: nicola.dellaca@unipr.it

Other ECOSISTER partners involved in the project: Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna,; ENEA, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Coordinating Spoke: Spoke 2

Other Spokes involved in the project: Spoke 1, Spoke 4

Name of partners based in the South: ENEA TRISAIA, CNR ITAE

Project duration (in months): 13

Starting TRL: 4/5

End TRL: 6

ATECO/industrial sector of potential reference: Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

Smart Specialization Strategy: Energy and sustainable growth

EU Taxonomy: Climate change mitigation

Abstract

The project focuses on developing an energy system based on CO2 conversion into fuels (MeOH and DME) for integration within smart energy communities and various positive energy districts (urban, industrial, etc.). It aims to lay the groundwork for future expansions, including the potential use of liquid fuels for airport and port districts and improves medium- and long-term (i.e. seasonal) energy storage. A key element is the utilization of CO2 from biological sources such as biogas or biosyngas, aligning with the REDIII perspective that excludes fossil fuel-derived CO2 in Carbon Capture Utilization (CCU) beyond 2040.
The main objectives are:

A) Revamping a methanol production plant (P1) with the integration of high pressure hydrogen from electrolysis and zeolite membranes to separate water and enhance syngas conversion.
B) Revamping a MeOH/DME production plant (P2) with an electrolyzer and a combined catalyst, using CO2 and compositions derived by PEC CO2R (pre-reduced CO2) and biosyngas.
C) Analysis of the integration of the technologies proposed within smart energy communities, using the “digital twins” of plants and grids. Through the Smart City Platform (SCP) tool of ENEA, applied to the energy community in which the University of Parma is being involved, real data will be collected and utilized for the simulation and optimization of energy management within the community also with the integration of technologies for local production and use of hydrogen for long-term storage.

Expected Results

Two existing plants will be revamped and optimized for MeOH and MeOH/DME production, respectively, starting from different mixture (CO2, biosyngas eventually integrated with pre-reduced CO2 by PEC) and hydrogen from electrolysis (DEMONSTRATORS). The two processes (P1 and P2) will be developed in close cooperation: i) P1 for the production of methanol (Enea, Trisaia) ii) P2 for the synthesis of MeOH/DME from CO2 (Ravenna, UNIBO). Furthermore, a modular system for the photoelectrochemical simultaneous reduction of CO2 and production of H2, will be also tested on the revamped plants (TESTING).
The activity will integrate the data of different plants and subsystems in the Smart City Platform (SCP) tool designed by ENEA in the energetic community background of Parma. In this context, the use of hydrogen coming from photovoltaic, heat management and heat utilization coming from electrolysis, the use of methane from a methanator (developed within the WP2-Spoke 2 of the ECOSISTER project) will be modeled and optimized. (APPLICATION OF TOOLS AND METHODOLOGIES)

Application Area

Renewable Energy Communities & Smart Grids
Integration of CO₂-based fuel production and hydrogen systems within smart energy communities and Positive Energy Districts (urban, industrial, airport, port). Use of digital twins and energy management tools (e.g., ENEA's Smart City Platform).
Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU)
Conversion of biogenic CO₂ (from biogas, biosyngas) into e-fuels, in line with REDIII constraints on fossil-derived CO₂ beyond 2040.
Power-to-X (PtX) and E-Fuels
Production of MeOH and DME from renewable electricity and CO₂, including advanced processes (PEC CO₂R, membrane-assisted conversion, hybrid catalysis).
Hydrogen Economy
Generation, storage, and local use of green hydrogen for fuel synthesis and decarbonization of stationary and mobility sectors.
Sustainable Mobility
Supply of carbon-neutral liquid fuels (MeOH/DME) for road, port, and airport transport, supporting the shift to clean fuels.
Industrial Decarbonization
Revamping of existing methanol/DME plants with low-carbon technologies, promoting circular and climate-resilient industrial models.