A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge has developed a groundbreaking reactor technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the air and converts it into sustainable fuel using sunlight. Unlike conventional carbon capture and storage (CCS) methods, which require significant energy input and long-term underground storage of CO₂, this new system eliminates the need for fossil-fuel-based power. The solar-powered flow reactor takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it in specialized filters at night like a sponge soaking up water. During the day, the reactor transforms carbon dioxide into syngas through a chemical reaction produced by the heated carbon dioxide. This method makes it significantly easier to scale compared to older CCS technologies and could serve a dual purpose: removing CO2 from the atmosphere while simultaneously creating a renewable fuel source. The potential for this technology is vast, with applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as providing decentralized energy production for remote areas.
Source: https://interestingengineering.com/energy/solar-reactor-turns-co2-into-fuel