European Research Institute of Catalysis A.I.S.B.L.

Their core work

ERIC is a Brussels-based research institute specialized in catalysis — the science of accelerating chemical reactions — with a strong focus on converting CO2 into useful chemicals and fuels. They develop electrochemical and photoelectrocatalytic processes that turn carbon dioxide into products like oxalic acid, polymers, and ethanol, bridging fundamental catalysis research with industrial demonstration. Their work spans catalyst design (zeolites, nanoparticles, ionic liquids) and reactor engineering, serving sectors from cement and petrochemicals to energy and coatings.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2017), ERIC focused on CO2 capture and conversion using electrochemistry and ionic liquids, with applications in the cement industry (RECODE) and chemical production (OCEAN, TERRA). From 2019 onward, their work broadened into heterogeneous catalysis — zeolites, nanoparticles, and nanoclusters — and moved toward distributed production systems and photoelectrocatalysis (DECADE). The shift suggests a progression from lab-scale electrochemical CO2 conversion toward more diverse catalytic approaches and decentralized, solar-driven chemical manufacturing.

ERIC is moving toward solar-driven, decentralized chemical production from CO2 — positioning them at the intersection of green chemistry and distributed energy, relevant for any partner interested in Power-to-X or carbon capture and utilization.

How they like to work

ERIC splits fairly evenly between leading and joining consortia (3 coordinated, 4 as participant), which is notable for a small non-university research institute — it signals both scientific credibility and project management capacity. With 68 unique partners across 18 countries, they maintain a wide European network rather than relying on a fixed set of collaborators. Their consortium sizes suggest they are comfortable in medium-to-large EU projects and bring specialized catalysis expertise that complements larger industrial or academic partners.

ERIC has built a broad European network of 68 unique partners spanning 18 countries from their Brussels base. This geographic diversity indicates they are well-connected across EU research ecosystems, not confined to a single national cluster.

What sets them apart

ERIC occupies a distinctive niche as a dedicated catalysis research institute organized as a Belgian non-profit (A.I.S.B.L.), giving them the agility of a focused lab with the legal structure to coordinate EU projects. Their consistent thread of CO2-to-chemicals work across seven projects — from electrochemistry to photoelectrocatalysis — makes them one of the more specialized players in carbon utilization catalysis. For consortium builders, they offer deep catalytic expertise without the overhead or competing priorities of a large university department.

Highlights from their portfolio

• DECADE
  Their most recent coordinated project (EUR 655K), pushing into photoelectrocatalytic distributed production of chemicals from CO2 — represents the frontier of their evolving expertise.
• OCEAN
  Coordinated demonstration-scale project converting CO2 to oxalic acid via electrochemistry (EUR 647K), showing ability to move catalysis research toward industrial readiness.
• TERRA
  Their first and largest-funded coordination (EUR 688K), establishing their core identity in tandem electrocatalytic reactor design and process intensification.