Solar Refinery

A team of technical experts has devised a method for synthesizing carbon-neutral aircraft fuel from carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The process is similar to photosynthesis in which CO2 combines with water and is converted into organic molecules using energy from the sun.

In the first of three stages, CO2 and water are absorbed using a direct air capture device like the one in Ireland that we reported about last month (See “World’s Largest Carbon Capture Facility”). But instead of storing it in basalt rock, the CO2 and water react with cerium oxide that has been heated by sunlight. This produces carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen — the raw materials for syngas. The byproduct of these reactions is oxygen, which is vented to the atmosphere. In the final stage, the syngas can then be turned into hydrocarbons or methane.

A proof-of-concept mini-refinery has demonstrated that the process is scalable. According to estimates, it would require 45,000 square kilometers of land with adequate sun exposure (the equivalent of approximately 0.5 percent of the Sahara Desert) to match current demands for aviation fuel.