Scientists design fuel using only air

A group of Swiss researchers released a study earlier this month on a new type of fuel designed for air. If it sounds crazy, hold on tight, because this story is so true. This is not the first time scientists have attempted to create a carbon neutral cryptorchid, but this new process is surprising.

This is because, in the future, environmental questions will force us to use renewable energies instead of consuming carbon molecules. Like electrical energies, Change cannot be done abruptly, and “carbon neutral” energies seem to be the best medium-term solution to control the impact of traffic on the planet without disrupting our daily lives.

Carbon Neutral Fuels: What Are They?

The latter have the characteristic of rejecting carbon to the extent that they are absorbed during production, hence the term “neutral”. In the Swiss project, described in the most popular review Natural, Scientists explain that they only need Co2 in the air and sunlight to make their fuel.

In detail, the researchers explain that this process involves the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide through a very precise heating and cooling cycle. The latter then makes it possible to create a “package gas”. It is then placed in a copper catalyst and liquefied there. The gas is then methanol or kerosene. Two of the most popular fuels, mainly used in space and aviation.

The Helvetic Group behind the process explains that all production activities, from gas capture to fuel production, are done using renewable energy supplied by solar panels. If this project is only a sketch of how we can develop our fuel in the future, it deserves to be carbon neutral, a key asset in tomorrow’s transportation sector.

One more test process

But the problem is, this production system is not (at all) ready to operate on a large scale. In fact, the Swiss system took 24 hours to produce 100 liters of package gas and was not enough to launch a Solex.

Although these results appear to be failing, scientists are optimistic that they can improve their system very quickly so that 20% efficiency can be achieved. It is enough to produce a few liters per week.