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Scientists to develop ‘game changing’ carbon neutral fuel technology

A UK university-led team of scientists is to develop a reactor that converts CO2 into fuel so efficiently it could offset every year more than three times the amount of carbon produced by Britain.

The team led by Edinburgh-based Heriot Watt University has won a grant worth ยฃ1.2 million from the Governmentโ€™s main scientific research funding agency, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to carry out the research. It will look to make ‘photo-catalytic reductions,โ€™ which use solar energy to create common fuels from CO2, into highly efficient processes. The team estimates their high-efficiency photo-reactors could produce enough fuel to offset 700 million tonnes of carbon in the UK per year; 200 more tonnes than Government estimates suggest the UK produces.

“By developing this novel reactor and processes, we could unlock a hugely significant source of carbon neutral fuel,” said lead scientist and director of the Centre for Innovation on carbon capture and storage, Mercedes Maroto-Valer. “We are working on creating a technology that will turn this into a genuine game-changer, turning a climate-changing gas into a climate-saving fuel.”

Closed loop system

‘Photo-catalytic reductionsโ€™ are processes that use solar energy to convert CO2 into gases like methane and methanol that can be used for fuel. The carbon released from the use of these fuels can then be reprocessed, thus neutralising the fuelโ€™s carbon emissions in a ‘closed loopโ€™ system. But current photo-catalytic reductions do not produce enough fuel for usage on a commercial level.

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“This research is a fantastic opportunity to bring a potentially hugely valuable technology to market,” said Dr. Robin Irons from energy company E.ON, one of the companies working with the team of international scientists to guide research and ensure the technology developed can be used with existing infrastructure. “Industry will be working hand-in-hand with the international team of academics, making this a truly global project designed to deliver a globally significant breakthrough,” he added.
The international research team is composed of scientists from Taiwan, US, Canada and China, as well as the UK.

700 million tonnes carbon could be offset each year

An international team of scientists is to develop a new reactor that can produce fuel using sunlight and carbon dioxide, paving the way for a game-changing transformation in the global energy industry.

The experts, led by Heriot-Watt, have been granted ยฃ1.2 million to increase the efficiency of โ€˜photo-catalytic reductionโ€™, the process that uses solar energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into fuel, like methane and methanol. Any carbon produced when the fuel is used can then be converted into energy again, giving a closed loop system.

Heriot-Watt-University

It has been estimated that this process, if successful at a commercial scale, could offset up to 700 million tonnes of CO2 each year, significantly more than total UK annual emissions which DECC (the UK Government) estimates at around 500 million tonnes.

Existing photo-catalytic reduction processes do not produce enough fuel to make them financially viable. This project will develop new, highly efficient photo-reactors, with conversion rates that can be scaled up to a commercial process – potentially transforming energy production and climate change mitigation.

Global team of academics and energy industry

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of the Centre for Innovation on CCS and the first holder of the Robert M Buchan Chair in Sustainable Energy Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, will lead the work in the UK and the team includes engineers and chemists based in Taiwan, US, Canada and China.

Professor Maroto-Valer said, โ€œBy developing this novel reactor and processes, we could unlock a hugely significant source of carbon-neutral fuel. We are working on creating a technology that will turn this into a genuine game-changer, turning a climate-changing gas into a climate-saving fuel. We will have the input of leading industry players throughout this research, ensuring that the technology we develop can be used with existing infrastructure.โ€

Professor Maroto-Valer and her team are working closely with an advisory board of representatives from the energy industry, who will help guide prototype development and ensure that it can be deployed and integrated with existing infrastructure.

Dr Robin Irons from E.ON’s Innovation Centre for CCS who represents E.ON on the advisory board said, “This research is a fantastic opportunity to bring a potentially hugely valuable technology to market. Industry will be working hand-in-hand with the international team of academics, making this a truly global project designed to deliver a globally significant breakthrough.โ€

The funding is part of a select stream from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), designed to support research leaders tackling key engineering challenges and to provide a team around them to deliver their research vision.

Professor David Delpy, Chief Executive of the EPSRC said, โ€œSupporting and developing leaders who can deliver answers to the worldโ€™s major engineering challenges is one of our priorities. The work Professor Maroto-Valerโ€™s research team are carrying out has the potential to provide enormous worldwide benefits and opportunities.โ€

 

This research is a fantastic opportunity to bring a potentially hugely valuable technology to market, said Dr. Robin Irons from energy company E.ON, one of the companies working with the team of international scientists to guide research and ensure the technology developed can be used with existing infrastructure. Industry will be working hand-in-hand with the international team of academics, making this a truly global project designed to deliver a globally significant breakthrough, he added.

 

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