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Gemini Centre - Functional oxides for clean energy technology

Advanced inorganic materials technology has great potential to solve many of the most important problems facing the world, e.g. reduction of CO2 emissions, production and distribution of renewable energy and clean drinking water to all. By building on our partnership between two strong groups in Oslo, the new Gemini Centre enables Norway to compete internationally in the area of research, innovation and development of new commercial processes. The two groups are the Solid State Electrochemistry (FASE) research group at University of Oslo and SINTEF Materials and Chemistry. The Centre's main scientific areas are:

  • Membranes for gas separation
  • Inorganic fuel cells
  • High-temperature electrolysis
  • Photochemistry

The Centre will approach a broad range of technology markets, including:

  • CO2 capture and storage
  • Gas separation in industrial processes
  • Hydrogen as an energy carrier (fuel cells and electrolysers)
  • Solar-based water purification
  • Production of H2 and CO2 based fuels directly from solar power
  • Self-cleaning surfaces and other direct applications of photocatalysis

By combining efforts, expertise and equipment, the Centre achieves effectiveness and credibility in the market. Development of new processes for CO2 capture, energy conversion and purification requires chemical and physical understanding at a very high level (represented by the university), combined with the knowledge and equipment used in material synthesis, process understanding and market knowledge (SINTEF).

Projects:

  • BIGCCS, International CCS Research Centre
  • BioPCFC, Biogas operated proton ceramic fuel cells 
  • DualCO2, Dual phase membranes for CO2 separation in power generation 
  • FOXCET, Functional oxides for clean energy technologies: fuel cells, gas separation membranes and electrolysers
  • METALLICA, Metal supported proton conducting electrolyser cell for renewable hydrogen production
  • NaProCs, Nanoceramics – a new class of proton conductors for hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers
  • PlusUltra, Novel photoelectrocatalytic concepts for conversion of water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen to fuels and chemicals
  • SEALEM, Self-healing ceramic membranes with increased lifetime for CO2 capture in industrial processes and power production
  • THELMA, Nanostructuring for improving the energy efficiency of thermoelectric generators and heat-pumps
  • ELECTRA, High temperature electrolyser with novel proton ceramic tubular modules of superior efficiency, robustness, and lifetime economy
  • PH2BioCat, Solar-based H2 generation in novel photoelectrochemical cells using engineered hydrogenases as biocatalysts

Annual Report 2014 (link to pdf)

Contacts:

Management

  • Truls Norby – University of Oslo ()
  • Rune Bredesen – SINTEF Materials and Chemistry ()

Operational

  • Athanasios Chatzitakis, University of Oslo ()
  • Henrik Ræder, SINTEF ()