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
-
What 10x Growth Means for Hydrogen’s Future
Inside This Issue 💧 Blue Hydrogen Just Won 2025: 10x More Than Green ✈️ Houston American Energy Advances Development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel ⛏️ Max Power Expands Natural Hydrogen Discovery Po...
-
Google's Power Play: First CCS Deal Reshapes Energy
Inside This Issue ⚡ Google's Power Play: First CCS Deal Reshapes Energy 🌎 True North Carbon's Tamarack Project, Canada's Largest Single-Technology Direct Air Capture Deployment, Achieves First Cap...
-
The $27/ton Question: What Makes a Carbon Removal Credit Worth 3x More?
Inside This Issue 💰 The $27/ton Question: What Makes a Carbon Removal Credit Worth 3x More? 🛢️ EPA Issues Three Class VI Permits to ExxonMobil in Jefferson County, Texas 🌍 UN Endorses First Articl...
Company Announcements
-
BILBAO, Spain — H2SITE, the deep-tech start-up revolutionizing high-purity hydrogen production through cutting-edge palladium membrane technology, is scaling up its industrial presence with project...
-
CCS+ Initiative and Puro.earth Join Forces to Integrate Carbon Credit Methodologies and Scale CCS
Today, the CCS+ Initiative and Puro.earth (Puro), a leading standard and registry for durable carbon removal, announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Through this strat...
-
October 27, 2025 Company to supply critical compression equipment for ammonia production and CO2 transportation, and a steam turbine-driven power generation generator technology Facility to produ...
-
BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Buffalo Biodiesel Inc., a leading recycler of used cooking oil (UCO) and a pioneer in renewable feedstock production, recently announced that it has suc...