A research team from MIT and Harvard University has developed a highly efficient process to convert greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into a form of sustainable fuel.
So far, CO2 emissions related to fossil fuels continue to rise due to economic and geopolitical reasons, despite numerous warnings from international climate organizations and scientists about the impacts of global warming.
Human-induced climate change could leave severe and potentially irreversible consequences for the environment, humanity, and the economy.
CO2 emissions continue to rise despite many warnings about the consequences of global warming. (Illustrative image: Alcimed).
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to rise globally in recent years, forcing nations to take strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect the planet and humanity.
Recently, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University (USA) successfully converted carbon dioxide into formate, a material that can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity.
This groundbreaking innovation offers a dual benefit by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere while simultaneously producing environmentally friendly fuel.
Previous efforts to convert carbon dioxide into fuel faced challenges related to low carbon efficiency and the production of toxic, flammable substances.
However, the method developed by researchers at MIT and Harvard has overcome these obstacles. Formate exists in both solid and liquid forms and can be used as a safe, non-toxic fuel that is easy to store and transport.
A revolution in the field of green energy
The new conversion process involves electrolyzing carbon dioxide into solid formate powder, which can then be converted into electrical energy. The research team achieved an impressive conversion rate exceeding 90%, significantly higher than previous methods.
By bypassing the inefficient heating stage, carbon dioxide is directly transformed into liquid metal bicarbonate, which is then converted into liquid form using an electrolyzer powered by environmentally friendly energy sources.
The end result is a concentrated formate solution that can be dried and stored as a stable solid powder.
This breakthrough has practical implications for many applications. This type of fuel could be used to power individual households or integrated into large-scale energy storage systems.
Initial applications may involve installing household electrolyzers designed to capture and convert carbon dioxide into formate for domestic use.
Excess formate can be stored for future use, and when needed, it can be mixed with water and used to generate electricity in fuel cells.
The development of an efficient method for converting carbon dioxide into sustainable fuel is a significant step toward reducing carbon emissions and establishing a greener energy alternative. It opens up prospects for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
