MULTISPECTRAL SOLAR PHOTOREFORMING DEVICE FOR SELECTIVE DEPOLYMERIZATION OF MIXED PLASTICSbroad
SPECTRA · Horizon Europe grant · 2026-10-01–2030-09-30
EC contribution
Total cost
Beneficiaries
About the data
Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01 · scheme HORIZON-EIC · topic HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01-04. CORDIS record →
Objective
SPECTRA addresses Area 1 of the EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2025 “Waste-to-Value Devices: Circular Production of Renewable Fuels, Chemicals and Materials”, targeting new device concepts for the circular conversion of plastic waste into renewable fuels and chemicals.SPECTRA develops a breakthrough solar-driven photoreforming device that converts mixed and non-recyclable plastics, including polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), into renewable fuels and high-value chemicals. Conventional recycling cannot handle such polymers due to their inertness and the need for sorting, high temperatures, and complex purification, leading to poor circularity and low-value outputs.SPECTRA introduces a multispectral waste-to-value platform combining optical splitting, wavelength-matched photocatalysts, flow-reactor engineering, and LED-assisted illumination. Incoming sunlight is divided into green-red, blue, and near-UV channels, each directed to a dedicated reactor containing a spectrally tuned photocatalyst. Green-red light drives photothermal solvolysis of PET and PC, blue light promotes benzylic oxidation of PS, and near-UV light enables selective C–C bond scission in PE and PP. Integrated LED modules provide controlled top-up light, ensuring 24-hour continuous operation and precise reaction selectivity independent of solar fluctuations.The coupled photoreforming–separation system will demonstrate >90 % conversion selectivity and >95 % product purity at lab scale (TRL4), achieving direct depolymerisation of mixed plastics without prior sorting or downstream purification.SPECTRA establishes a new class of solar–photonic upcycling devices, merging optical design, catalysis, and process intensification to unlock circular, low-carbon pathways for renewable fuels and chemical production. The project directly supports the EIC Pathfinder Challenge “Waste-to-Value Devices”, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, and the Industrial Carbon Management Strategy.
Beneficiaries (6)
| Organisation | Country | Role | EC contribution | SME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA AB | SE | coordinator | €1,300,000 | |
| TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN | NL | participant | €801,123 | |
| Antares Electrolysis S.r.l. | IT | participant | €698,938 | Yes |
| KARLSTADS UNIVERSITET | SE | participant | €565,805 | |
| CICCI RESEARCH SRL | IT | participant | €340,000 | |
| STIFTELSEN CHALMERS INDUSTRITEKNIK | SE | participant | €273,712 | Yes |
Get the EU Defence Funding Calendar — free
The full calendar of open EU defence and dual-use funding calls, sorted by deadline, updated nightly. Delivered with DFM Analysis, our weekly briefing on who is funding what in European defence.
Or browse all open defence & dual-use calls on the funding calendar →
Defence Finance Monitor is an analytical and informational product. Grant data is official CORDIS; the paid Annual Professional subscription is handled on DFM Analysis.