Carbon Recycling Fund Institute (CRF)
FY2022 Application Guidelines for Research Grant Activities (General category)Objectives of the Research Grant Program CRF focuses on the importance of promotion of innovation in carbon recycling and will
begin a call for proposals through the CRF research grant activities.
 Individual researchers (or teams), regardless of the organization they belong to, areeligible to apply. The program expects research results that contribute to the achievementof carbon neutrality by 2050 and is open to a wide range of fields ranging from chemistry,
fuels, and mineralization to negative emissions such as biomass.
 In collaboration with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization(NEDO) and other organizations, the program has already produced achievements in thepast that were conducive to state-sponsored projects. CRF also provides support incommercialization of research achievements.
 CRF has been putting efforts into developing human resources such as launching theCarbon Recycle University (workshop-style training program) and expects many young
researchers to take this opportunity.
 Under the same objectives, CRF has decided to establish a new startup category with asimplified application form.
1.

Purpose of Research Grant Activities
The Carbon Recycling Fund Institute (hereinafter the “Institute”) establishes the research
grant for research on carbon recycling and provides the grant for the achievement of thesustainable carbon society according to 1) Article 131 of the Act on General Incorporated
Associations and General Incorporated Foundations; 2) Articles 29 through 32 of its Articlesof Incorporation; and 3) Article 2, item (1) of its Rules on Donations.
Carbon recycling means to utilize CO2 as a resource and convert it into chemicals, fuels,minerals, and the like. The sustainable carbon society that the Institute aims to achieve is asociety that better utilizes carbon circulation on a global scale by comprehensibly incorporating
the utilization of not only CO2 but also CO2 sinks and living organisms in agriculture, forestry,
and fisheries and the recycling of materials that contain carbon (Figure 1).
Under the carbon recycling policy, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japanestablished the Carbon Recycling Promotion Office in February 2019, announced the roadmap
for carbon recycling technologies in June 2019, and revised the roadmap in July 2021. Further,
Japan declared that it would aim to realize carbon neutrality by 2050, and the declaration statesthat revolutionary innovations, such as carbon recycling, are key to achievement. Based on this,Green Innovation Fund was established, and carbon recycling was identified as one of 14priority fields in Japan’s Green Growth Strategy. And yet, the private sector’s voluntary support
in carbon recycling is considered essential for introducing carbon recycling practices intosociety.
Under these circumstances, the research grant activities are aimed at contributing to thedevelopment of carbon recycling innovation through grants and support for research designed
to reduce the cost of carbon recycling technologies or to solve issues hindering the introductionof carbon recycling practices into society.
Recognizing the importance of developing young researchers in efforts to reach the longterm goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the Institute launched the Carbon Recycle
University, a workshop-style training program targeting young human resources, in FY2021.
The Institute intends to proactively help young researchers in these research grant activities
as well.
In Europe and the U.S., a number of startups holding technologies related to carbon recycling1

have been founded, resulting in the development of innovation. Also in Japan, the government
has declared its full support for startups and been shifting its focus to nurture startups. Under
the same objectives, the Institute has established a new startup category with a simplified
application form in order to help startups grow and produce innovations.
In collaboration with public projects of the New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO) and other organizations, the program has already produced
achievements in the past that were conducive to state-sponsored projects. CRF also provides
support in commercialization of research achievements.

Figure 1. Image of the sustainable carbon society
2.

Overview
To this end, the startup category has been established as part of this research grantactivities. For information on the documents required and place of submission, checkthe website designated separately. Applicants may submit application for both thestartup category and the general category.
Startup category website:
https://growth.creww.me/7d30b2cd-c503-11ec-9b39-0fad1c67cc31.html

General category: The activity’s public grant category.
Startup category: Application form is simplified. Applicants may submit
application for both the startup category and the general category.
* Startups companies, small and medium businesses, and corporations especially in their seed/earlystage and researchers planning to start business are encouraged to apply for the startup category.
* As for the startup category, the amount of the grant will be approx. 10 million yen in total
and will be awarded to several individuals/teams.

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3. Application Guidelines(1) Research Grant Targets
A) Research on carbon recycling and related technologies for using CO2 (or materials
containing carbon atoms or carbon) as a resource to solve social issues; and B) researchin the fields of social science and institutional design intended for achieving carbon
recycling and technologies contributing to mitigation of climate change.
(2) Research Fields (Specific Examples) CO2 recycling and utilization field Chemicals (production of olefins, BTX, biodegradable plastics, etc.)
 Fuels (methanation, biofuel production, use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), etc.)
 Mineralization (concrete products, mineral carbonation, etc.)
 Utilization of living organisms (utilization of germs and bacteria, blue carbon,improvement of photosynthesis efficiency through genetic manipulation or breedimprovement, etc.)
 Functional materials (production of carbon nanotube, graphene, etc.)
 Biomimicking (artificial photosynthesis, etc.)
 Fields relating to the separation and capture of CO2 and H2 that are necessary forcarbon recycling
 Efficient hydrogen production (water electrolysis technology, bacteria that boosthydrogen production, etc.), efficient synthesis and decomposition of ammonia
 Technologies for the efficient separation and capture of CO2 associated withCCS*1, DACCS*2, BECCS*3, and other approaches (absorption solvent, solid
sorbent, membranes, direct air capture, etc.)
Notes: *1. CCS：Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage*2. DACCS：Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage*3. BECCS：Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage Direct use of CO2
 Medical field (utilization of carbonic acid effect, etc.)
 Fields of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (forcing culture using plastic
greenhouses, soil fixation, forestation, fast-growing trees, etc.)
 Social science and other fields (CO2 reduction scenario, carbon recycling introduction
promotion scenario, institutional design to promote carbon recycling, study on
attachment of value to CO2, etc.)
 Technologies related to circulation of carbon resources (including plastics)
 Technologies related to the enhancement of value of carbon recycling (including CO2
visualization supported by AI and IoT technologies, conversion to high added-valuematerials using CO2)
 Other fields (technologies contributing to mitigation of climate change)(3) Scope of Applicants
An applicant(s) must be a researcher(s) or research team affiliated with a university,company, incorporated association/foundation, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the“affiliated institution”). An application should be submitted after obtaining approval
from the affiliated institution. The principal investigator may be of any nationality but
must belong to Japanese affiliated institution. He/she is not required to hold the CRF
membership.
In particular, young researchers who work to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 areencouraged to apply.
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(4) Amount of Grant
The amount of the grant will be up to 10 million yen per application and awarded toapprox. 10 individuals/teams.
(The average amount of the past two grant programs was approx. 7 million yen perrecipient.)(5) Period of Grant
The research period subject to the grant shall be not more than two years from the datewhen grant decision is made.
However, the grant is provided on the conditions that, after one year passes from thedate when grant decision is made, the recipients is to give presentation at the progress
report meeting and submit the interim report.
(6) Application Method(i) Documents to be submitted
・ Applicants must submit application documents in both hard copy and email
attachment formats to the address given under item (11) below.
・ Hard copy: Submit documents 1) and 2) below to arrive at the Secretariat by
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 (as indicated by the postmark) using postal mail or
specified correspondence delivery. Please be aware that submitted documents will
not be returned.
1) One original and eight duplicates of the Grant Application Form (a set
including Form 1: Research Grant Application Form Cover Sheet andForm 2: Research Grant Application Form)
2) One copy of reference material that indicates the details of the affiliatedinstitution’s activities, such as a company information booklet or brochure
・ Electronic data: Submit electronic data (PDF in color) of Grant Application Form (aset including Form 1: Research Grant Application Form Cover Sheet and Form 2:
Research Grant Application Form), as well as a video clip described in ② below toarrive at the Secretariat by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Submit by email
to <grant@carbon-recycling-fund.jp>.
(ii) Other items for submission (video clip: optional)
・ An applicant may use a camera on a smartphone or PC to create a self-promotion
video that is not longer than three minutes, covering self-introduction, the gist of theresearch, his/her enthusiasm, and so on. The submission is optional. Submit by email
to <grant@carbon-recycling-fund.jp>. It is recommended to store the video on acloud service (e.g., BOX, firestorage, and Giga File bin) and send the link of thevideo via email.
(iii) Application Period
From Monday, May 16, 2022, to 17:00, Wednesday, June 15, 2022 (If submitting bypostal mail, application must be postmarked no later than June 15.)
No public briefing for researchers will be held. If you have any questions, pleasecontact us at the address given under item (11) below.
In the event that the affiliated institution’s seal cannot be obtained on the application
form by the submission deadline, the application form will be accepted without a seal.
In such case, however, a sealed application form must be submitted by Friday, July 15.
(7) Selection Method(i) Applications will be screened by the screening committee.
4(ii) The results of the selection will be notified to applicants in about late July to earlyAugust.
(iii) Successful applicant(s) will receive the Grant Decision Notice and documents
describing procedures for receiving the grant.
(iv) Applicant information (name of principal investigator and affiliated organization) andthe theme of research selected for the grant will be publicized on the Institute’s website.
In addition, the same information may be announced at seminars hosted by the Institute,as well as at seminars and academic conferences hosted by other organizations.
(8) Awarding of grant(i) The Institute will deposit the grant into the account designated by the affiliatedinstitution without delay after deciding to award the grant. When necessary, at the timeof the decision being made to award the grant, the Institute will consult with theapplicant to determine the timing and method of the grant payment.
(ii) When the grant is awarded, the applicant must submit an acknowledgement that he/sheadheres to the conditions specified under item (9) below.
(iii) The grant is not required to be repaid except for cases described under item (9),paragraph (i) below.
(9) Points to Note for Awarded Grant
There are the following three points to note for awarded grant. For other details, see theGuidelines for Research Grant Program posted on the website.
(i) No particular restrictions have been set for the use of the grant, as long as the expense
is truly necessary for the research. For details about item names, see the Guidelines for
Research Grant Program. However, the grant may not be used for indirect expenses of
the affiliated institution.
(ii) When the research is completed, the Results Report outlining the research results shallbe submitted to the Institute. The Final Progress Report shall also be submitted to theInstitute within 30 days after the completion.
(iii) The grant will be awarded in accordance with the descriptions in the Research Grant
Application Form.
(10) Handling of Personal Information
Unless otherwise required by law, etc., the Institute will not provide any third party withthe personal information provided in the submitted documents without prior consent ofthe individual.
(11) The Secretariat (Application Submission Address and Contact Information)
Address: Daiwa Nishi-Shimbashi Building 3F, 3-2-1, Nishi-shimbashi, Minato-ku,Tokyo, 〒105-0003
Innovation Department, Carbon Recycling Fund Institute (CRF)
Person in charge: Kashima (Mr.)
Phone: 03-6432-0011
Email: grant@carbon-recycling-fund.jp(12) Others
The Institute will provide various types of support as shown below to rejected
applicants, so feel free to contact us.
 After the Secretariat interviews with an applicant, the Institute will offer
services such as matching applicants with member companies.
5 The applicant may also seek support through an academic crowdfunding
platform “academist*.” If the crowdfunding is successfully completed, CRF
will also provide additional grant. (The additional grant will be approx.
500,000 yen per application and awarded to several individuals/teams.)*https://academist-cf.com/?lang=ja6