Advanced materials, sustainable energy, health and well-being, environment, and geosciences are among the fields in which SOLEIL II aims to have a decisive impact.
• Advanced materials
• Energy and sustainable development
• Health
• Environment
Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) require increasing computing performance and storage capacity, which is extremely energy-intensive: computers, data centers, and networks account for nearly 10 percent of the world’s electricity consumption. Quantum computing could increase computing power while reducing energy use by a factor of 100 to 1,000.
A key concern in many fields (e.g., aeronautics, transportation, security, energy, communication) is the rapid development of advanced materials, integrating design and synthesis, with pre-determined characteristics and functionalities.
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Computers, smartphones, tablets, electric vehicles: omnipresent in our daily lives, they operate thanks to electrochemical energy storage in batteries that we wish were more compact, safer, faster to recharge, longer-lasting, more durable, and more environmentally friendly...
In industry, 90% of reactions are catalytic and often use scarce resources (noble metals, rare earth elements, etc.). The development of new catalysts and the optimization of reactions could, by 2050, make it possible to reduce global energy consumption by an amount equivalent to Germany's current annual energy consumption.
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Emerging infectious diseases are caused by pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, prions) of diverse origins. The treatment of these diseases, which are becoming increasingly numerous and whose impact is amplified by ecosystem changes linked to human activity, presents a major challenge.
The structural and cellular biology techniques developed through SOLEIL II will enable the identification of targets for new therapies and provide a rapid and tailored response to these diseases (vaccines, antibiotics).
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By 2030, 50 million tons of plastic could enter aquatic ecosystems. Their degradation leads to the formation of micro- and then nano-plastic particles, which are extremely difficult to detect.
More generally, the transfer of pollutants is expected to increase with the rising frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (storms, floods) linked to climate change. Aerosols from natural sources (volcanoes, massive wildfires) and those resulting from human activity (pollution) have a significant impact on the climate.
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