Solar-powered Device Captures Carbon Dioxide From Air to Make Sustainable Fuel
Published by Todd Bush on February 14, 2025
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a solar-powered reactor that pulls carbon dioxide directly from the air and converts it into sustainable fuel using sunlight.
The reactor, highlighted in Nature Energy, could produce fuel for cars, planes, and chemicals without relying on fossil fuels, CO2 transport, or storage. The device captures atmospheric CO2 and uses sunlight to create syngas, a key chemical intermediate.
>> In Other News: PX Group Wins ‘Landmark’ Teesside Biomass Contract
Professor Erwin Reisner, who led the research, said, “Aside from the expense and energy intensity, CCS provides an excuse to carry on burning fossil fuels. Our system makes something useful from CO2 without storing it underground.”
Dr. Sayan Kar, lead author, added, “CO2 is harmful, but we can turn it into useful chemicals without contributing to global warming.”
The device works like photosynthesis, using sunlight without external power. Specialized filters capture CO2 at night, which is then converted into syngas during the day using infrared and ultraviolet radiation.
The team is developing a larger version and aims to convert syngas into liquid fuels for vehicles and planes. If scaled up, the reactor could remove CO2 from the atmosphere and create clean fuel for remote locations.
Reisner’s research group focuses on devices that convert waste, water, and air into fuels. The project is supported by UKRI, the European Research Council, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Cambridge Trust.
Subscribe to the newsletter
Daily decarbonization data and news delivered to your inbox
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Latest issues
-
Verdagy Taps Black & Veatch for Texas Clean Hydrogen Plant Design
Inside This Issue 🏭 Verdagy Selects Black & Veatch for a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) Study for Its 9,000 tons/year (60-megawatt) Clean Hydrogen Plant in Texas USA - English USA 🌊 Ocean...
-
Energy Abundance Unveils World's Largest 24/7 Green Data Hub in Texas
Inside This Issue 🏙️ Energy Abundance Announces Data City, Texas - The World's Largest Behind-the-Meter Data Center Hub Powered by 100% 24/7 Green Energy 🌬️ Norway's Equinor Scales Back Climate Am...
-
Texas Pioneers Wind-Powered Direct Air Capture: A Collaborative Effort
Inside This Issue 🌬️ Texas Pioneers Wind-Powered Direct Air Capture: A Collaborative Effort to Combat Climate Change 🏛️ CO2 Capture in the United States Adjusts Its Strategy Under the Trump Admini...
Company Announcements
-
Verdagy and Black & Veatch Unite to Propel Texas into the Clean Hydrogen Era
In a significant move towards sustainable energy, Verdagy has appointed as the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contractor for its ambitious 60-megawatt (MW) clean hydrogen project near Texas's ...
-
Universal Fuel Technologies’ Pilot Demonstrates New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Pathways
During a five-month pilot, the company demonstrated that its Flexiforming technology can produce high-quality 100% synthetic SAF from multiple renewable feedstocks. Tested pathways to SAF include ...
-
Industry veterans from Babcock & Wilcox, LanzaTech, and other major players join Spiritus to bridge the gap between pilot and large-scale deployment LOS ALAMOS, N.M. – Spiritus, the company en...
-
Eion Secures $33 Million Carbon Removal Purchase by Frontier Buyers
New Partnership with Leading Agricultural Cooperative Growmark to Unlock National Scale for Enhanced Rock Weathering OAKLAND, Calif. – Eion, a company turning the proven science of enhanced rock w...