The chemical industry is a major source of economic productivity and employment globally and among the top three industrial sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, along with steel and cement. As global demand for chemical products continues to grow, there is an urgency to develop and deploy sustainable chemical production lines. Aiming at reducing GHG by 55% in 2030, EU has identified that a crucial pathway to achieve this target is to decarbonize the chemical industry via electrification powered by low-carbon electricity. However, the transition to renewable electricity-based chemical production requires proper infrastructures as well as novel technical solutions in order to utilize the energy as efficiently as possible.

Addressing these challenges, RESILIENCE proposes the electrification, via microwave heating, of two highly endothermic reactions, commonly encountered at industrial scale: the dry reforming (e-DRM) and the nonoxidative conversion (e-NOCM) of the methane. The main target is to demonstrate the valorisation of the two most abundant greenhouse gases, namely CO₂ and CH₄. The approach is novel and broad, including, synthesis and characterization of novel catalysts, design and construction of a microwave heated reactors, processes optimization as well as Life cycle analysis and costing. To this end, innovative catalysts including hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs), single atoms catalysts and mesoporous Ni loaded ceria doped alumina nanomaterials, capable to be used in microwave heating will be developed. In parallel, the team will design and construct microwave reactors aiming to increase the selectivity of the studied reactions by 20% and the yield by 30%, via optimization of both reactors and catalysts. Key target of RESILIENCE is the reduction of the energy required for the heating of the reactors. Thus, an overall consumption by 40% for both reactions is expected to be achieved during the project.