Oxirus Energy, a startup spun out of Yale University’s chemistry lab, may have developed technology that could revolutionize aviation, shipping and other industries. According to TechCrunch, the company has found an inexpensive way to use clean energy to capture carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into methanol.
Methanol has a variety of uses. Used in the production of jet fuel. According to Det Norske Veritas, it has recently become a viable alternative to traditional fuels in the shipping industry. It is also used in the production of petrochemicals to make plastics, rubber, insulation, etc.
The problem is that most methanol comes from dirty energy sources, most commonly natural gas. This process releases carbon pollution into the atmosphere, which fuels the planet’s overheating and causes extreme weather events that threaten life and the world’s food supply.
🗣️ Do you want your town to have an EV charging road? 🔘 Sign up 👍 🔘 It depends on the cost 💸 🔘 No way 👎 🔘 I’m not sure 🤷 🗳️ Click Select to see the results and Please give your opinion
Projects are underway to convert the shipping and aviation industries to hydrogen fuel, but this is still a long way off due to cost issues and, especially in the case of green hydrogen, the fact that the infrastructure does not yet exist. Green methanol is a possibility because it can be burned in most internal combustion engines with minor modifications.
Oxylus co-founder and chief operating officer Harrison Meyer told TechCrunch: “Oxylus can truly decarbonize hard-to-reduce sectors such as shipping, aviation, and petrochemicals, which account for 11% of emissions. “We think it’s one of the most versatile chemicals.” now. “
Today’s green methanol production, in part due to the need for green hydrogen, is energy-intensive and costly. The technology developed by Oxylus uses cobalt-based catalysts for the chemical reactions required to produce methane, eliminating the need for green hydrogen. This process can also be done at room temperature and normal pressure, rather than at high temperature and pressure.
Join our newsletter. Useful news, easy hacks, and the latest cool clean technology delivered to your inbox every week.
To produce methanol, a catalyst is placed inside an electrolyzer and electricity is used to split water and carbon dioxide molecules. When the molecule splits, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms combine to form methanol and oxygen.
The difficulty is to prevent the formation of hydrogen, which would leave not enough hydrogen atoms to form methanol. The Oxylus method steers reactions in the right direction, TechCrunch revealed.
“We need this beautiful balance,” says CTO Conor Rooney.
The company recently raised $4.5 million to build a production-scale nuclear reactor. The reactor hopes to prove the technology’s functionality and prove it can meet prices.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations that are improving our lives and shaping our future. Also, don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
