Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a new solar-powered electrolysis cell which can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to biofuels and alcohols at record efficiency levels. According to the scientists it is the first time anyone has been able to rival the productivity of natural photosynthesis.
They believe the discovery, which allows carbon dioxide to be directly converted into ethanol and ethylene, is an important milestone in the effort to move toward sustainable sources of fuel. The researchers achieved this by optimising each component of a photovoltaic-electrochemical system to reduce losses.
“This is an exciting development. As rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels change Earth’s climate, the need to develop sustainable sources of power has become increasingly urgent,” said principal investigator, Joel Ager.
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Efficient biofuel process
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