The SUN-PERFORM project has successfully secured additional Horizon Europe funding through the Hop-On Facility, enabling the integration of a new partner into the consortium: the University of Aveiro (UAveiro), Portugal.
The new collaboration will strengthen SUN-PERFORM’s mission to develop next-generation solar fuel technologies by combining synthetic biology and nanotechnology to improve light harvesting and fuel production in microalgae.
UAveiro brings internationally recognised expertise in materials engineering, polymer science and microfabrication, adding a new technological dimension to the project. The team will develop innovative light-converting micromaterials designed to improve how sunlight is distributed inside photobioreactors, the cultivation systems used to grow microalgae.
Current photobioreactor designs mainly manage light at the reactor surface, creating uneven illumination and limiting photosynthetic efficiency in dense algal cultures. UAveiro’s approach introduces microscopic polymer-based carriers embedded with semiconductor nanocrystals that can distribute and convert light directly inside the cultivation medium.
By improving internal light management, the technology aims to increase biomass productivity, reduce energy losses and enhance the overall efficiency of solar-to-fuel conversion systems. The new materials are also being designed for long-term stability, reusability and resistance to biofouling, supporting SUN-PERFORM’s sustainability ambitions.
The addition of UAveiro significantly expands the interdisciplinary scope of SUN-PERFORM, complementing the consortium’s expertise in synthetic biology, nanophotonics and reactor engineering. The Portuguese team will contribute to both the development of advanced light-harvesting systems and the integration and demonstration of the full biohybrid solar-to-fuel platform.
The Hop-On Facility is part of Horizon Europe’s WIDERA programme and is designed to increase participation from widening countries in European research and innovation projects. The inclusion of UAveiro also strengthens SUN-PERFORM’s geographical reach and creates new opportunities for collaboration with Portugal’s growing biotechnology ecosystem.
SUN-PERFORM officially started in November 2024 and is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe with more than €4 million in support. The project aims to develop scalable solar fuel technologies for sectors that are difficult to electrify, including aviation and maritime transport.