Insight

All4Zero is an industry-focused technological innovation hub, unique in Spain, focused on developing technologies relate to decarbonization and the circular economy. This is an initiative run by 4 founders: ArcelorMittal, Holcim, Iberia and Repsol that are combining their technological power to share industrial resources, laboratories, and research centers to create pilots and proofs of concept.

There is a current open call (until 5 April) for startups, SMEs, research centers and universities in which All4Zero has launched 5 technological challenges.

In this framework, let’s delve deeper together into one of the 5 technology challenges!

“How can we efficiently capture carbon and reduce both atmospheric emissions and origin emissions?“

Context
Renewable energy, hydrogen, and low-carbon footprint fuels will be key to advances in decarbonization. However, to be carbon-neutral, it won’t be enough to stop emitting CO2, rather, according to organisms such as the International Energy Agency (IEA), or UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), it will also be necessary to capture the CO2 produced by human activity.

In this context, Carbon Capture, Use, and Storage technologies (CCUS) will play a prominent role and contribute to achieving the 1.5 degrees Celsius target: to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius this century.

Opportunity
Industry is transforming itself with the development and implementation of technological solutions that are less and less emissions-intensive. CCUS technologies, therefore, are a perfect complement that will allow us to reduce CO2 emissions in sectors such as electric and mobility, or in intensive industries with high energy use, such as steel, cement, etc. that generate CO2 in their processes, which is impossible to reduce with other decarbonization paths.

These technologies are able to capture CO2 before it is released into the atmosphere (in high-concentration sources) and even capture already-existing CO2 with Direct Air Capture (DAC). Furthermore, the CO2 captured can be used as raw material to produce synthetic fuels or construction materials.

What All4Zero is looking for
The level of development of CO2-capture technologies is still in its infancy and there are opportunities to improve efficiency in capture and scale processes, as well as extend its use as a raw material.

They are looking for technological solutions prepared to be integrated in industrial production processes that contribute to the total reduction of metric tons of CO2 emitted in any production process based on amines, pressure swing adsorption (PSA), calcium looping or membranes, that guarantee the total absorption of metric tons of CO2 emitted in any industrial production process, as well as carbon footprint and energy consumption (calorie and electric). They will also consider the potential to generate employment and new technological skills in industrial sectors.

All4Zero will select up to ten solutions to develop Proof of Concepts together with the hub’s experts and in their industrial facilities.

Do you have a technological solution related to decarbonization or the circular economy?

Participate in the All4Zero technology challenges:

https://all4zero-hub.com/en/technology-challenges/

https://all4zero-hub.com/en/register/

1. “How can we guarantee water resources for industrial processes using either alternative sources or recycled water circulation?“
2. “How can we reduce costs and increase efficiency when obtaining renewable hydrogen?
3. “How can we generate SAF and other renewable fuels and mineralize CO2? (challenge with two applications)“
4. “How can we take advantage of materials resulting from waste to create solutions that drive circularity and sustainability?“