Engineers at UNSW have developed a way to produce a synthetic fuel from carbon dioxide using only sunlight.
The research team’s process involves utilising light and heat to induce a reaction which creates synthetic methane from CO₂.
UNSW researcher, Dr Emma Lovell, said methane is the major component of natural gas, and already widely used as a source of fuel, but is also a powerful greenhouse gas.
“Creating synthetic methane using only the natural resource of the sun is a cleaner and greener alternative for usage in heavy transportation, shipping, and other specific industries where gas usage is essential," Lovell said.
“By employing specific catalysts and support materials, we have demonstrated a new pathway for visible light to drive the conversion of CO₂ into methane. This not only contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions, but also adds value to the captured CO₂ by creating a valuable chemical product.”
Led by the team from the School of Chemical Engineering, their work not only tackles environmental concerns, but also leverages renewable energy to power the conversion process.
The transformation of waste CO₂ into synthetic fuel creates a circular fuel economy. This means it creates a closed-loop system addressing environmental concerns and lessening reliance on fossil fuel extraction. This approach fosters sustainability by reusing carbon emissions and mitigating impact on the environment.
Affordable energy generation also plays a crucial role in this process as the direct and efficient utilisation of sunlight offsets power consumption and associated overhead costs for the reaction. This leads to reduced production costs for synthetic fuel, making it more economically viable and accessible.
Finally, the diverse chemical applications of this research extend beyond fuel production. The team is currently applying the findings to visible light-assisted CO₂ conversion into other high-value chemicals, potentially impacting a wide range of industries, from fuel production to pharmaceuticals.
This versatility highlights the potential for broader innovations and solutions stemming from sustainable energy research.
Currently, the team is conducting experiments at the lab scale, aiming to advance to demonstration/prototype scale within a year before moving onto a pilot.