SunCoChem leads the publication of a new CEN Workshop agreement for the standardization of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction devices
SunCoChem project has successfully led the publication of a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA), titled “Testing and Evaluating the Performance of Devices for Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO”, aimed at standardizing novel procedures and protocols for testing and evaluating the performance of devices involved in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction.
This new CWA provides a simplified framework for comparing various technological solutions while offering a standardized approach to assessing the impacts of innovations on electrocatalytic CO2 reduction technologies. By promoting consistency in testing, it supports the further development of (photo)electrocatalytic devices and strengthens the pathway toward more sustainable solutions.
About the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA)
CWA stands for CEN Workshop Agreement and it is a type of reduced consensus standardization document developed and agreed in an ad hoc group called CEN Workshop, representing a very fast track way to develop new standardization documents. Due to these characteristics and some additional ones, a CWA is specifically well fitted for containing new knowledge arising from research and innovation activities that want to be promoted in the market. Moreover, it can constitute the first step for a future EN or ISO standard.
Collaborative Efforts and Outcomes
The SunCoChem project, which launched the CEN Workshop “Testing and Evaluating the Performance of Devices for Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO” in July 2023, achieved this milestone through a collaborative effort involving multiple European organizations. Months of dedicated work resulted in a clear framework for standardizing the testing of devices that reduce CO2 to CO, paving the way for innovation in this critical area.
Standardisation in SunCoChem project
UNE, the Spanish standardisation association, leads the activities related with standards within SunCoChem, with the main objective to increase the visibility and impact of the project, as well as to contribute to the acceptance and utilisation by the market of the developed solutions.
SunCoChem project has used this standardization tool to promote the utilization of one of its outcomes, the use of elecytrolysers for the reduction of CO2 to CO in a single conversion process, for ifs further use in the production of green oxo-chemicals. The CWA specifies the procedures and protocols for testing the main parameters for evaluating the performance of the electrolysers, for instance: production rate per electrode area, purity of the produced gas and product gas composition, stability of the reactor or energy consumption.
The specified procedures apply to any type of device and system used, despite of their constructive solution. Application is only limited to low-temperature technologies (< 80 °C) and systems with water oxidation as the complementary reaction to CO2 reduction. The document is intended to be used by organizations and persons manufacturing or using such devices.
Boosting Innovation and Market Adoption
The contribution to generate a new standardisation, in this case a CWA, is also a way to give more visibility and usability to the innovation project outcomes, approaching them to the guiding documents used by the industry.