SUNRISE - Solar Energy for a Circular Economy (EU H2020 CSA, Ref. 816336)

The 100th anniversary of a leading nitrogen fixation technology developer like CASALE SA is a reason to reflect over the 20th century successful solution of the problem of world food supply, and to look out for solutions for sustainable developments with respect to ammonia production. We review the role of nitrogen as essential chemical constituent in photosynthesis and biology, and component of ammonia as it is used as fertilizer for primary production by photosynthesis for farming and food supply and its future role as energy carrier. While novel synthesis methods and very advanced synchrotron based x-ray analytical techniques are being developed, we feel it is important to refer to the historical and economical context of nitrogen. The breaking of the N≡N triple bond remains a fundamental chemical and energetic problem in this context. We review the electrochemical ammonia synthesis as an energetically and environmentally benign method. Two relatively novel X-ray spectroscopy methods, which are relevant for the molecular under-standing of the catalysts and biocatalysts, i.e. soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and nuclear resonant vibration spectroscopy are presented. We illustrate the perceived reality in fertilizer usage on the field, and fertilizer production in the factory complex with photos and thus provide a contrast to the academic view of the molecular process of ammonia function and production.

MRS Energy & Sustainability links materials research with technological forecast, policy, and social change. Inspired by a large European initiative on carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and synthetic fuel production powered by solar energy (SUNRISE), we invited papers for a special issue on circular economy.

The motivation for this special issue on circular economy, and national and global policy, originated during the international stakeholder meeting (Ochoa 2019) for our SUNRISE flagship project (Abbott 2019; Kupferschmidt 2019) in Bruxelles in June 2019. At the same day, one mile away from our meeting, Deutsche Energie Agentur (DENA) held a panel round table meeting on regulation for renewable fuels (Powerfuels 2019), at which the author could participate. The SUNRISE flagship is a European initiative for the sustainable production of solar fuels and base chemicals. The yet to be developed technology is based on the chemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) from concentrated sources and from the atmosphere, and solar water splitting for hydrogen production. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide will be synthesized to hydrocarbons for industrial use. When the synthetic hydrocarbons are consumed, carbon dioxide will be generated and fed back in a circular process, powered by renewable energy. In this extended carbon cycle (Calvin 1961), CO2 is a valuable asset and remains part of the global biogeochemical cycle and becomes part of the circular economy. CO2 concentration in the atmosphere will be reduced to an acceptable, climate neutral value once the cycle is in operation (Faber et al. 2020).

The term circular economy appears to be self-explaining and its principle entirely reasonable. Cyclic processes are intrinsic to nature and technology and have even a metaphysical core: What goes on up is coming on down. Since billions of years, solar energy drives the conversion of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen as global biogeochemical cycles in photosynthesis. This primary production is the foundation for all technology, economy and human development. However, not all of them do recycle the waste by default. Recycling of CO2 for the production of hydrocarbons as synthetic fuel and base chemicals is a new future technology, which shall help in meeting the emission targets of the Paris Agreement. The fossil fuel economy could be affected by such technology. Therefore, policy makers must weigh the various interests of the manifold of stakeholders worldwide. Motivated by a European Flagship initiative (SUNRISE) on solar fuel production by decarbonization with renewable energy, we have made a snapshot of current projects and studies around circular economy in this special issue.

X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectra were recorded to investigate the electronic structure and local crystal structure of ZnO and ZnO:B powders produced via hydrothermal synthesis. ZnO and ZnO:B grow as micrometre-scale rods with hexagonal shape, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy micrographs. The number of broken ZnO:B rods increases with increasing B concentration, as observed in the images, due to B atoms locating in between the Zn and O atoms which weakens and/or breaks the Zn–O bonds. However, no disorder within the crystallographic structure of ZnO upon B doping is observed from X-ray diffraction results, which were supported by EXAFS results. To determine the atomic locations of boron atoms in the crystal structure and their influence on the zinc atoms, EXAFS data were fitted with calculated spectra using the crystal structure parameters obtained from the crystallographic analysis of the samples. EXAFS data fitting and complementary k -weight analysis revealed the positions of the B atoms – their positions were determined to be in between the Zn and O atoms.

The primary purpose of this perspective is a critical analysis of the correlation of the current state-of-the-art raising circular economy platform enacted across the world with close looping of PET ( polyethylene terephthalate)-based plastic polymer disposal and sustainable recycling and upcycling technology. The goal of the upcycling process is to get the low-cost value-added monomer than those obtained from the hydrocarbon industry from the sustainability prospect. A summary of the circular bio-economic opportunities has also been described. Next, how the PET hydrolase enzyme degrades the PET plastic is discussed. It is followed by an additional overview of the effect of the mutant enzyme for converting 90% of plastic into terephthalate monomer. A site-directed mutagenesis procedure obtains this particular mutant enzyme. The diversity of different microbial organism for producing PET hydrolase enzyme is finally discussed with a suggested outlook of the circular economy goal from the viewpoint of plastic degradation objectives soon.

This is the Sunrise Technical Roadmap.

Call for Papers: "Circular economy: national and global policy" Manuscript submission deadline: 31 March 2020. Special Issue in "Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy" (SpringerNature) https://www.springer.com/journal/10098 This Special Issue in Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy is a snapshot of the sta-tus and development of renewable energy technologies in the context of climate change miti-gation, and its adverse boundary conditions, which impede or negate implementation of such clean technologies. In the current era of a dialectic "between holding on to and letting go of fossil fuels", policy and regulation has a decisive role in the realization of renewable energy technologies and dis-ruptive change of the energy economy. Every country needs energy, but access to energy is not even and not fair distributed, and be-cause of uneven distribution, new industries of processing, transport and distribution, alterna-tive energy technologies and financing have emerged. Every region and country has its specific situation, and its energy solution is a result of market and policy. SUNRISE is a European Horizon 2020 Flagship Project, which aims at decarbonization of the atmosphere and defossilization of the economy by utilizing renewable energy. CO2 as greenhouse gas and water as the hydrogen source are used to produce solar fuels, bulk chemicals and fertilizer ammonia in decentralized facilities across Europe. This disruptive technology will have impact on existing energy and manufacturing infrastruc-ture and will affect existing and require new regulatory measures. The balance between costs for producers and prize for consumers will possibly have to be as-sisted by subsidies, which are a burden for the taxpayers. The necessary capital investment will likely be based on government bonds, and forwards and futures. For example, the German government announced in November 2019 that it considers Austral-ia and Africa as future solar fuel suppliers for its heavy industry and transportation and mobil-ity sector, and purchaser of renewable energy infrastructure and technologies. At the same time, it will continue to purchase foreign fossil fuels and burn domestic coal in new built coal power plants. For this Special Issue we seek papers from all countries, which reflect their policy and regula-tion situation on the global trend for a renewable energy transition. Guest editors: • Artur Braun, Empa, Switzerland, Artur.Braun@empa.ch • Rita Toth, Empa, Switzerland, Rita.Toth@empa.ch Please send us an email if you are interested in contributing to the Special Issue. Manuscript submission deadline: 31 March 2020. To submit your manuscript please go to Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy (at https://www.editorialmanager.com/ctep/default.aspx) and follow the procedures for manu-script submission. Select our Special Issue from the drop-down menu and choose S.I. Circular economy: national and global policy. Feel free to contact us if you would have any questions.

On 27 September 2019, a workshop for the Swiss stakeholders for the SUNRISE flagship project was held at Empa in Dübendorf. The workshop had the aim of community building and was attended by over 30 participants from Switzerland, France, and South Africa. The secondary purpose of the workshop was the inclusion of the previously competing ENERGY-X flagship project into a future joint project from SUNRISE and ENERGY-X. The workshop program had 20 technical presentations including posters, a panel discussion and an interactive session.

On 27 September 2019, a workshop for the Swiss stakeholders for the SUNRISE flagship project was held at Empa in Dübendorf. The workshop had the aim of community build- ing and was attended by over 30 participants from Switzerland, France, and South Africa. The secondary purpose of the workshop was the inclusion of the previously competing ENERGY-X flagship project into a future joint project from SUNRISE and ENERGY-X. The workshop program had 20 technical presenta- tions including posters, a panel discussion and an interactive session.