Air Liquide launches its third Scientific Challenge in favor of decarbonization

Air Liquide is launching today the third edition of its Air Liquide Scientific Challenge, designed to advance research in an open innovation approach. This new challenge aims to identify solutions allowing for the decarbonization of industrial ecosystems.  

The Air Liquide Scientific Challenge is open to academic teams, private Research & Development departments, startups, and private or public Institutes. All are invited to submit through the Challenge’s website, from November 3, 2022 to March 10, 2023, innovative scientific solutions to face the challenges linked to Energy Transition. Based on Essential Small Molecules, Data and related Technologies, the Scientific Challenge, a worldwide call for solutions to achieve the decarbonization of industrial ecosystems, is in line with the Group’s objectives of decarbonization and technological innovation outlined in its strategic plan ADVANCE.

It addresses the three following topics:

• Topic 1 Data sharing for decarbonization:
  
  How to leverage confidential data from different stakeholders to meet shared sustainability targets?

• Topic 2 Energy storage using Essential Small Molecules:
  
  How to store and reuse energy using small molecules or processes to achieve net-zero?

• Topic 3 Electric Heating for H2 production:
  
  How to decarbonize the catalytic Steam Methane Reforming reaction by electric-based heating?

Initiated by the R&D and its m-Lab, the scientific community of Air Liquide experts on Essential Small Molecules, Air Liquide Scientific Challenge Edition 3 is part of Air Liquide’s open innovation approach. 

An Air Liquide scientific prize of 50,000 euros will be awarded to each of the laureate teams at the end of 2023. Moreover, the Group will support collaborations with a total funding of up to 1 million euros to develop the selected scientific proposals and transform them into market-tailored technologies.

Emilie Mouren-Renouard, Member of the Executive Committee supervising Innovation:

Open innovation is a key driving force of Air Liquide’s strategy to address society's challenges. In line with the Group’s strategic plan ADVANCE and 2050 net zero objective, this edition of the Scientific Challenge notably illustrates the importance of Data in our continuing efforts to identify disruptive solutions and accelerate the development of the new technologies necessary to build a low carbon society.