The SUN-PERFORM project has officially begun, marking an exciting new chapter in solar fuel research and innovation! From November 25 to 26, 2024, our international consortium gathered in Wageningen, Netherlands, to explore innovative methods for converting light into more sustainable and diverse fuels.
The kick-off meeting hosted by Wageningen University & Research provided an invaluable opportunity for our partners to:
- Share their unique expertise
- Align on project objectives
- Develop collaborative strategies
- Explore cutting-edge research facilities
Descriptive Transcript
| Graphics | Visuals |
|---|---|
| Our European-funded project, SUN-PERFORM, had its kick-off meeting on 25–26 November. | A view of a sunny atrium of one of the buildings at Wageningen University and Research. |
| Our consortium unites experts in nanotechnology and synthetic biology from across Europe and Africa. | People in a meeting room give a slide show presentation about their research |
| Wageningen University and Research, the project coordinator, hosted us and gave us a tour of their facilities. | A woman presents complex pieces of equipment in a lab to a visiting group of researchers. |
| We even got to visit AlgaePARC and its tubular photobioreactors for microalgae. | The group visits a large room with stacks of plastic tubes filled with green microalgae. |
| Sharing our ideas and vision for the project, we started building connections. | The group takes a break to meet and greet over a coffee. |
| This is the start of our journey toward more sustainable solar fuels! | The group shares a dinner at a restaurant. |
SUN-PERFORM brings together leading experts in nanotechnology and synthetic biology from across Europe and Africa, all working towards a common goal: making solar fuel production more efficient and affordable.
Our interdisciplinary team will focus on innovative approaches to enhance light harvesting and carbon dioxide fixation using advanced techniques in microalgae engineering and nanotechnology. The project will involve multiple tasks, addressing everything from strain development to process optimization and communication strategies.
Key research areas include:
- Improving algae strains for enhanced fuel production
- Developing advanced light-harvesting technologies
- Optimizing carbon capture methods
- Exploring sustainable biorefinery processes
Our aim is to contribute to the energy transition by providing a viable fuel alternative to help decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors, like as aviation and shipping.