Closing the carbon cycle: optimization of direct air capture process and conversion of ambient CO2 into synthetic fuel

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As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, reaching the 2°C targets (announced in Paris in 2015) will require breakthroughs in disruptive technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In collaboration with our industrial partner (Carbon Engineering) we are improving the technologies required to absorb CO2 through Direct Air Capture (DAC) to reduce emissions from distributed sources, e.g. airplanes, trucks, and ships. CE has built and is operating a DAC demonstration plant in Squamish, BC, with the goal to capture 500 kg CO2 per day. The first commercial plant is planned for construction in Canada, and the captured CO2 will be used for the production of low carbon fuels. The most challenging scientific and technical barriers for the CO2-to-fuels pathway include achieving high plant efficiency for the DAC process, and developing a reliable and cost efficient model for CO2 conversion into fuel precursors (i.e., CO). Currently, the CO2 reduction technologies with the highest readiness level are the reverse water-gas-shift (rWGS) reaction , and the electrochemical conversion of CO2 in low temperature electrolyzers. However, low conversion efficiency coupled with high costs reamain barriers for commercialization. The proposed research aims to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of air-to-fuel conversion. We propose three interrelated research themes: A) DAC plant efficiency optimization, B) CO2 to CO conversion via rWGS reaction, and C) electrochemical CO2 reduction to produce fuel precursors.