From 3 to 4 November 2025, partners from multiple European institutions—along with the SUN-PERFORM academic advisory board—met at the University of Amsterdam to share milestones and discuss next steps. After one year of work, the meeting confirmed that the project is on track with all deliverables completed on schedule. The meeting was also an opportunity for everyone to talk about the trajectory and strategy for the next few months.
Technical Progress
Teams have successfully developed and tested nanocrystal-based light management systems with both Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Nannochloropsis oceanica in photobioreactors, while also implementing energy buffering mechanisms to improve algal performance under fluctuating light.
In parallel, synthetic CO₂ fixation pathways have been reconstituted in vitro and genetic engineering platforms established in both algal species to introduce novel carbon fixation modules. These efforts are being integrated with metabolic modifications that redirect carbon flow toward lipid production, with both algal species showing enhanced lipid accumulation through targeted engineering of key biosynthetic pathways.
Establishing a New Framework
The project has also established its environmental assessment framework, defining scenarios across European and North African contexts to evaluate the sustainability of the integrated algae-to-fuel production system. Communication activities have strengthened project visibility through events, publications, and growing social media engagement, while collaboration with the sister S2B project ensures coordinated outreach. The project also joined the Solar-to-X portfolio, integrating SUN-PERFORM into a broader EU network on solar-driven fuel and materials innovation.
What’s Next for SUN-PERFORM
INsociety will host the next consortium meeting in Udine, Italy, in March 2026. After that, the consortium will start preparing its first periodic report for submission in June 2026, followed by a review meeting with the European Commission.