Researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland demonstrated that it was possible to create fuel from air and light and presented a first concrete experience where they succeeded in putting their theory into practice.
"The demonstration that carbon neutral hydrocarbon fuels can be produced using sunlight and air is an important step which, with the right political support, could initiate developments essential for long-term decarbonization. the aviation sector, ”say the researchers.
A three-step system
To succeed in creating this fuel from air and light, researchers need to carry out a three-step process.
The first step is to capture the CO2 and water present in the ambient air.
Then, in the second step, the scientists use cerium oxide, a material that when heated, reacts with CO2 and water.
Reaction with CO2 creates carbon monoxide while reaction with water creates hydrogen.
In either case, the result of these reactions is oxygen, which can then be released into the atmosphere.
For their part, the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen obtained make it possible to create synthesis gas.
Finally, in the last step, this synthesis gas is transformed into methanol, which can be used to fuel airplanes, for example.
A promising technology
Their experiment was carried out on the roof of one of the ETH laboratories.
It had an average yield of 32 ml of pure methanol per seven hour day.
It is very little, but it constitutes proof of the operation of the process.
Still in the development phase, this promising technology is however, at present, more expensive than fossil fuels.
It will undoubtedly still be many years before reaching a threshold of effectiveness sufficient to make it usable by the general public.
"The stable and successful operation of the system outdoors under intermittent solar irradiation convincingly demonstrates the technical viability of the production line for converting sunlight and ambient air into drop-in fuels", detail the researchers.
“Bringing these solar fuels to market, however, will require substantial optimization and scaling up of the process, which should be supported by policy programs that allow commercial scale introduction.
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