LowC -  Safe and sustainable low‑carbon fuels

Heavy-duty vehicles, aircraft, and ships contribute significantly to emissions of greenhouse gases and health-relevant air pollutants, such as fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as emerging pollutants. To decarbonize this sector, a variety of new fuels, ranging from hydrogen via ammonia to synthetic eFuels, are under consideration.

LowC is an EU‑funded Horizon Europe project that investigates how low‑ and zero‑carbon fuels for heavy‑duty road, aviation, and maritime transport affect emissions, air quality, and health. The consortium combines advanced engine testing with atmospheric simulations and toxicological studies to characterize primary and secondary pollutants from fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, and biogenic alternatives.

As one of the project partners, the Adolphe Merkle Institute’s BioNanomaterials Co-Chair, Prof. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser, will investigate the potential health effects of exhaust emissions from heavy-duty engines powered by climate-neutral fuels. Using human-relevant lung cell models, Rothen-Rutishauser and colleagues will compare outcomes with reference fuel effects.

The LowC consortium consists of eight partner institutions and an associated industry partner (Deutz AG). The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is the Coordinator, with the University of Rostock as Co-lead. All partners have long-term experience in their respective fields and have collaborated across several relevant projects, including the recently concluded ULTRHAS collaboration, on air pollution and climate impacts, funded by the EU and other national and international sources.

AMI project: Hazard assessment of sustainable Low-Carbon fuel aerosols using lung cell models 

Website: LowC

Cordis: Safe and sustainable LOW-Carbon fuels for heavy-duty, aviation, and maritime sectors

AMI participants