eREGENERATE · REsistive heatinG in structured hydrophobic sorbents for a highly EfficieNt and fully Electrified DiRect Air CapTurE technology

The goal of eREGENERATE is to develop a novel Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology based on cost effective and long-lasting sorbents, as well as a novel fully electrified process technology. More specifically, the project aims at adressing current DAC challenges using four key innovations. The first innovation involves synthesizing and scaling up hydrophobic zeolites, a sorbent with a long lifetime, capable of capturing CO2 at low concentrations and in the presence of water (i.e. humid air), to ensure high capturing performance coupled with low manufacturing cost. The second innovation introduces an electrically conductive substrate on which the zeolite will be coated, giving low pressure drop (hence low energy consumption in adsorption) and fast heating of the adsorbent bed to desorb the CO2. The third innovation is a new electrical swing process, fully powered by renewable energy. The fourth innovation is a first-of-a-kind algorithm able to optimise the complete chain of capture and conditioning of the CO2, as well as assessment of the energy source mix and weather impact on it, to overcome the strong energy intensity of the capture process and optimise both energy input and purity in between the capture process and the conditioning step. Further, to ensure the technology’s success and societal acceptance, a structured stakeholder engagement process will be elaborated all along the technological development to co-create strategies, including policy and incentives, to align DAC deployment with societal priorities, fostering trust and acceptance for the eREGENERATE technology. This unique and innovative technology will be demonstrated at TRL6, with plans for upscaling to TRL 8 by 2032. Three sites will be selected for feasibility study considering different climatic conditions, along with an integrated assessment of the CO2 value chain to support technical guidelines, policy/market decision making, infrastructure investment, and industry technology adoption.