About The Project

The ICARUS project has received funding from Horizon Research and Innovation Actions, and its duration will span 36 months.

The overarching aim is to foster the development of optimal methodologies, rooted in enhanced innovative technologies, and conceptual frameworks grounded in market access insights that span entire value chains. This aims to expedite the global expansion of sustainable aviation biofuels production. The key outcomes will encompass:

a) Aligning with the EU's climate mitigation targets for 2030 and 2050, as well as the ReFuelEU Aviation program.
b) Boosting the potential for the export of European renewable fuel technologies to emerging global markets.
c) Enhancing the sustainability of aviation fuels while concurrently reducing their worldwide production costs.

These objectives will be accomplished by uniting:

• The collective wisdom and proficiency of European stakeholders along three complete value chains dedicated to sustainable aviation biofuels (SAF) production.
• Collaborative efforts with Mission Innovation countries, including Canada, India, Brazil, and the United States (as member of the External Executive Advisory Board (EEAB)).

Work Packages (WP)

ICARUS project activities are structured along four scientific work packages (WP) addressing important aspects of framework conditions for SAF development in Europe and Mission Innovation Countries (MIC), innovations in SAF technologies, assessments for cost-effectiveness and sustainability, as well as best practices and concepts for up-scaling of SAF production value chains. Furthermore, ICARUS implements several activities focusing on dissemination, communication and exploitation of project results and capacity building.

WP1: Framework conditions for SAF development in Europe and MIC

This work package reviews and evaluates the state-of-the-art and framework conditions for the development of SAF value chains in Europe and MIC. The focus of this work is to identify and assess:

• Current and most promising sustainable feedstock (crops, innovative cropping systems, crop residues) and bioenergy carriers (microbial oils, alcohols from sugars, syngas from gasification) for SAF development
• Innovative and most promising catalytic hydrotreatment approaches for biocrudes produced via Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) processes
• Current and innovative approaches for syngas production via gasification, gas conditioning and upgrading
• Systemic constraints in the entire value chains through GAP analysis
• Important up-coming policy developments in Europe and on global scale

WP2: Innovations in SAF technologies in Europe and MIC

This work packages focusses on three pathways to SAF: (1) Bio-oils to SAF, (2) Isobutanol to SAF, and (3) Syngas to SAF, and aims to demonstrate that by solving challenges in these value chains, the overall cost-effectiveness can be significantly improved. On top of this a targeted action is undertaken to work on creating more feedstock with our existing area.
This work is translated in the following four objectives:

• Optimizing primary productivity to enhance biomass yields and minimize the environmental footprint
• Improving the removal efficiency of N compounds in biocrude oils
• Develop an optimized yeast for the direct conversion of cellulose and C5 and C6 sugars into isobutanol
• Develop a new FT catalyst maximizing liquid yield product

WP3: Assessments for cost-effectiveness and sustainability

This work package plays a crucial role in evaluating the economic, environmental, and social impacts of diverse supply chain structures for SAFs. Project activities are divided into two main steps:

• Initially, key sustainability indicators and market development aspects are synthesized related to Bio-oils to SAF, Isobutanol to SAF, and Syngas to SAF pathways. This screening provides an essential overview of technology advancements, establishing a robust scientific foundation for the integrated assessments within the ICARUS project.
• In the second step, techno-economic, environmental, and social assessments are conducted using data collected from the ICARUS project. Guided by a standardized framework, the assessments will address system boundaries, mass, and energy balances across three specific supply chains. Additionally, SAF market development analyses are performed, encompassing certification schemes, standardization aspects, and deployment targets.

Ultimately, this work aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the sustainability profiles of low-TRL value chains and identifies potentials, impacts, barriers, and opportunities for SAF technology developers and decision-makers.

WP4: Best practices and concepts

The overall objective of this work package is to develop future best practices and concepts along the entire value chain for the three technological pathways selected in the project, i.e. Bio-oils to SAF, Isobutanol to SAF, and Syngas to SAF pathways.

Such best practices and concepts rely on results, know-how, experiences and lessons learned from two type of sources. On the one hand, this work builds on in-house intelligence developed within the project and on the other hand, on external knowledge sharing from European and international renowned key industrial stakeholders and R&I experts. Ultimately, a set of guidelines are proposed to accelerate the scaling up of the three aforementioned value chains, hence contributing to cost-effective and more sustainable large-scale production of SAF.

Further, strong synergies are created between the private industry and the scientific community by providing further guidance for SAF certification and coordinating the engagement with oil industries, airports and end-users, and by fostering international knowledge transfer to establish long-lasting interactions on the upscaling of SAF. Specific focus is placed on the development of SAF in Africa, as a strategic energy partner for the EU.

WP5: Dissemination, communication, exploitation, capacity building

The objective of this work package is to effectively disseminate and exploit ICARUS activities and results among important international stakeholders and target groups as well as to implement capacity building activities and support networks for skill development and knowledge sharing.

A variety of communication tools (website, social media, flyer, poster, newsletters) is implemented to promote active exchanges between international research institutions, stakeholders and end users. Specifically, ICARUS aims to contribute to MI Challenge n°4 Sustainable Biofuels and to SET Plan Action 8 Bioenergy and Renewable Fuels for Sustainable Transport. Furthermore, capacity building activities (short term exchanges of researchers, PhD and Master thesis, training sessions, webinars, knowledge sharing sessions) are implemented and networks for skill development and knowledge sharing in sustainable biofuels value chains worldwide are supported.

Potential valuable intellectual property is captured, evaluated and protected by appropriate means to better reap societal benefits of Icarus research in Europe and globally in terms of higher value added, employment and ecological advantages.