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Networking and transfer project CO2-WIN Connect
The CO2-WIN Connect project aimed to provide technical and organizational support for the BMFTR's (formerly BMBF) CO2-WIN funding program in order to generate synergies between the funded research projects and thus achieve faster market entry for the technologies developed. As a so-called networking and transfer project, platforms for exchange were created within the project, the potential and technologies for CO2 utilization were analyzed, aspects of standardization were discussed, and the results were prepared for the public and communicated to various target groups via various media.
The project started on January 1, 2020, and ran for 3½ years. CO2-WIN Connect was coordinated by DECHEMA and carried out together with three other project partners: the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) Potsdam, DIN e.V., and the University of Kassel.
Guideposts for the future
A key task of the CO2-WIN Connect transfer and networking project was to identify cross-project technological approaches and concepts and to describe and evaluate their potential in terms of technology options, technological maturity, and scalability. In the process, challenges were also identified and corresponding research and development needs as well as regulatory requirements were formulated. In addition to purely technological aspects, the potential of different locations was described and economic and ecological analyses were carried out and compared with existing technologies. At the same time, care had to be taken to ensure that scientific developments were not downplayed by a distorted comparison with established and highly optimized processes.
The technology assessments carried out as part of CO2-WIN Connect covered the following topics:
- Artificial photsynthesis
- CO2 mineralisation
- Storage effect of CCU products
Standardization enabled the research projects in CO2-WIN to quickly transfer their results and innovations to the market. In order to provide researchers and innovators from CO2-WIN with the best possible support, DIN provided assistance within the framework of CO2-WIN Connect through the following activities:
Research into existing norms and standards as well as current and ongoing standardization activities
Knowledge of existing norms and standards was intended to enable the projects to draw on and build on the knowledge contained therein. The aim was to adapt innovations at an early stage to the market requirements specified in norms and standards, thereby reducing subsequent adaptation costs. The results were published in an overview (in German).
Establishing standards
Three areas with potential for standardization were identified within the funding measure, and DIN initiated and oversaw the processes for developing the corresponding standards. DIN SPEC was selected as the standardization tool because its short development time makes it ideal for research projects. With the help of DIN SPEC, project results could be easily converted into normative technical rules that are available to the public free of charge, thereby promoting their transfer to the market.
The use of terms relating to CCU still varies considerably in some cases. Terms are often not clearly defined and are used synonymously despite having different meanings. The aim of DIN SPEC 91458 Utilization of Carbon Dioxide – Terms, which was developed under the guidance of Dipl.-Ing. Dennis Krämer (DECHEMA e.V.) with representatives from science, the public sector, and industry, is therefore to facilitate cross-border and interdisciplinary communication between research institutions, companies, and users by defining terms for public and technical communication on carbon dioxide utilization.
The production of fuels or basic chemicals using photocatalysis and the use of CO2 as a feedstock is a promising alternative to the use of fossil raw materials. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Jennifer Strunk (Technical University of Munich, formerly Leibniz Institute for Catalysis e. V.), DIN SPEC 91457 Photocatalysis – Determination of product formation in CO2 reduction was developed in collaboration with representatives from science and industry. The aim of the document is to enable the comparability of measurements of different catalysts in photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Specifications are made regarding reactor design, purification steps, the samples and chemicals used, the necessary reaction parameters and the sequence of the necessary measurements.
A methodologically clear, standardised life cycle assessment is essential for a reliable and comparable evaluation of different CCU and CCS technologies. DIN SPEC 91508 creates precisely this methodological basis. Building on the international standards DIN EN ISO 14040 and DIN EN ISO 14044, it develops specific rules for the life cycle assessment of CCU and CCS technologies. Among other things, it defines how system boundaries and functional units are determined, what requirements are placed on data quality, and how to deal with uncertainties in modelling and parameters. DIN SPEC 91508 provides companies, research institutions and political decision-makers with a tool that combines technical innovation with environmental responsibility. The standard supports the sound planning of CO2-related projects, compliance with regulatory requirements and the measurable pursuit of strategic sustainability goals. In the long term, such a transparent assessment basis not only strengthens the credibility of new technologies, but also confidence in transformation processes within the industry.
The CO2-WIN Connect project conducted methodological and analytical work to assess the technological, ecological and economic potential of technologies addressed by the funding measure.
To this end, a consistent analysis system and background parameters were developed and further refined in collaboration with the various project partners. The assessment was carried out within a four-stage potential definition, each of which was subject to major restrictions. The process-related data was collected in cooperation with the partners of the research projects and coordinated and refined with them over the course of the project.
You can download the potential analysis here:
Reaching goals faster together
Together with industrial companies, opportunities for joint ventures were explored in order to initiate cooperation along the value chain – from CO2 capture and CO2-based plastics production to the finished product.
Joint venture workshop at ACHEMA Pulse
In order to bring CO2-based products to market, various companies along the value chain must work well together. At a workshop at ACHEMA Pulse in 2021, various joint ventures were presented and a panel discussion was organised on the experiences the companies had gained during their collaboration.
Joint venture workshop ‘CO2 as a carbon source for plastic products’
Another joint venture workshop on the topic of CO2 as a carbon source for plastic products took place in 2023. During the workshop, a case study of the same name and an accompanying dashboard were presented, demonstrating the ecological and economic implications of switching from fossil-based to CO2-based plastic production. The dashboard, which was developed to complement the case study, enables producers to make their own assessments based on parameters they select themselves. The workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to exchange expertise and network.
CO2 utilisation for dummies
Carbon dioxide is a major cause of climate change. But CO2 contains carbon, which we urgently need in everyday life: for plastics, shampoo, fuel... What if we could use CO2 as an alternative source of carbon? This 90-page book familiarises you with the basics of CO2 utilisation and its key issues. At the same time, you will learn about the 14 projects of the funding measure ‘CO2 as a sustainable carbon source – paths to industrial use (CO2-WIN)’ of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
Communication guide
The press departments of research institutions and companies are responsible for implementing professional communication. However, every employee in research and development can directly solicit support for their own research topic from these communication professionals. This communication guide offers support, suggestions and tips: Which broader issues relating to CO2 utilisation should be taken into account? Which aspects are perceived as critical or particularly beneficial? Which communication tools are available in the accompanying measure? You can read more about this in the communication guide.
Media analyses
As part of the accompanying project, RIFS Potsdam conducted an analysis of German print media, online media and social media. The aim was to gain a well-founded overview of how CO2 utilisation technologies are portrayed in various media. At the same time, the aim was to identify and observe any developments in this perception – information that was and continues to be important for the media work of those involved in the funding measure. The media analysis sought to answer the following key questions:
· How do the media perceive CCU? · In what context are CO2 utilisation technologies mentioned? · Which technologies and aspects are in the foreground? · What is viewed more positively and what more negatively? · Which stakeholders have a voice in the media? · Are there any changes over time?
Media monitoring, and thus the collection of relevant material, began in spring 2020.
Innovative pioneers in cooperation
Artificial photosynthesis (APS) for the production of useful chemicals using only air and sunlight as inputs is both the dream of visionaries and an active area of research. The APS research communities in Germany and the United States have many overlapping and complementary interests. Fruitful collaboration between them will help accelerate progress in this field. In the summer of 2020, a workshop funded by the BMFTR (formerly BMBF) in Germany and the DOE in the United States explored opportunities for collaboration and recommended the establishment of an ongoing series of events to foster new connections between the scientific and engineering communities in both countries.
This series of events was subsequently organised by the German CO2-WIN consortium and a German-American steering committee. The kick-off workshop took place on 25 May 2021.
The series of events comprised 17 workshops, which took place monthly and were attended by 50 to 100 experts each. Three of these workshops took the form of poster sessions, giving young scientists the opportunity to present their latest findings and engage in creative discussions. Another three workshops were designed as panel discussions to examine overarching issues from different perspectives, and 11 workshops focused on expert presentations by scientists from both countries.
The result was a diverse programme that promoted exchange, visibility and technical depth in equal measure.
The University of Kassel, as the sole academic partner in the accompanying and transfer project, has published a large number of scientific publications and supervised doctoral theses during the course of the project. The publications and dissertations are listed below.