PLANKT-ON

Plankton-like Protocells for Artificial Photosynthesis Targeting Carbon-neutral Energy Vectors

Period: 01/04/2023 – 30/09/2026

Funding scheme: HORIZON-EIC – HORIZON EIC Grants – PATHFINDER

Coordination: National Interuniversity Consortium for Materials Science and Technology

Abstract: Artificial photosynthesis for sustainable energy production

Global energy demands are continuously rising and necessitate green alternatives to fossil fuels, including wind and solar sources. Funded by the European Innovation Council, the PLANKT-ON project aims to develop a net-zero emissions technology inspired by nature that releases oxygen into the atmosphere and simultaneously produces formate as a precursor for hydrogen fuel. The technology involves assembling synthetic plankton-like protocells that use light, water and CO2 to produce O2 and formate. The latter is easily converted into hydrogen gas through chemical reactions, serving as a potential source of clean energy. The technology will complement other solar technologies, such as photovoltaics and photoelectrocatalysis, and will empower the EU vision for solar fuels production through artificial photosynthesis.