Turning CO 2 into Fuel Transforming CO 2 Peter P. Edwards 2 nd May 2012

Z. Jiang, T. Xiao, V. L. Kuznetsov, L. Kong, P. J. Dobson Tara Shirvani, Oliver Inderwildi, Sir David King R. J. Pearson, J.W.G. Turner, L. di Marco Transforming CO 2

Meeting our Energy Challenge “Fossil fuels will remain the dominant source of energy worldwide, meeting 83% of the increase in energy demands” Why is this?

Ideal for transportation… Fuel energy densities: Net systems analysis Richard Pearson and Colleagues, Lotus Engineering

CO 2 Capture and Storage (CCS): The only option?

The Natural Carbon Cycle: Fossil Solar Fuels G. A. Olah and colleagues, J.Am.Chem.Soc, 133, , 2011

A Possible Anthropogenic (Unnatural) Carbon Cycle G. A. Olah and colleagues, J.Am.Chem.Soc, 133, , 2011

Can we (sustainably) convert CO 2 into liquid fuels? Should we convert CO 2 into liquid fuels? Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) The Concept of Carbon-Neutral Fuels Courtesy Lotus Engineering

Carbon-Neutral Fuels …whether CO 2 emissions due to energy consumption are larger than the amount of CO 2 consumed in the process(es) The basic, underlying issue… … the universal issue of Life Cycle Analysis

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) Carbon-Neutral Biofuels T. Shirvani, X. Yan, O. R. Inderwildi, P. P. Edwards and D. A. King, Energy Environ. Sci., 2011, 4, 3773–3778 algae Liquid fuels dry or wet extraction

Anthropogenic Solar Fuels Royal Society of Chemistry

CO 2 is a ‘stable’ molecule Gibbs Free Energy of Formation CO 2 (-394.0) Z. Jiang, T. Xiao, V. L. Kuznetsov and P. P. Edwards, ‘Turning carbon dioxide into fuel’, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 2010, 368,

Transforming CO 2 ; Two main approaches 1.Use high chemical-energy starting materials 2.Supply high physical-energy; heat, light, electricity, solar

Methanol Carbon-Neutral Fuels Renewable Hydrogen Methanol synthesis CO 2 + 3H 2  CH 3 OH + H 2 O Atmospheric CO 2 CO 2 capture Fuel use CH 3 OH+3/2O 2  CO 2 +2H 2 O Renewable hydrocarbons Carbon out Carbon in CO 2 from fossil fuel burning power plants Energy in Adapted from G.A. Olah, A. Goeppert, S.G.K. Prakash, J. Org. Chem. 74, (2009)

‘Syngas’: Our Gateway to Fuels CO 2 + CH 4 = 2CO + 2H 2 HH H H C

Flue Gas CO 2 to Fuel Chunshan Song (Penn State)

Unpublished Results The Catalyst CH 4 CO 2 Conversions SEM image of the Used Catalyst No carbon deposition CH 4 -CO 2 “Reforming” on new Oxford catalyst in magnetofluidized bed

Turning CO 2 into Fuel Biomass refining CO 2 Fuel synthesis CO 2 Fuel synthesis CO 2 Energy Storage Via Carbon-Neutral Fuels Made From CO2, Water, and Renewable Energy, Special Issue of Proc. IEEE. R. J. Pearson, et al, 2011  Biogenic  Flue gas  Air capture

Carbon-Neutral Fuels Courtesy Lotus Engineering

Three possible pathways to ‘Low Carbon Energy’ Courtesy Lotus Engineering

Transforming CO 2 The Top 10 emerging technologies for Utilization of carbon dioxide as a resource Carbon is at the heart of all life on earth. Yet, managing carbon dioxide releases is one of the greatest social, political and economic challenges of our time. An emerging innovative approach to carbon dioxide management involves transforming it from a liability to a resource. Novel catalysts, based on nanostructured materials, can potentially transform carbon dioxide to high value hydrocarbons and other carbon-containing molecules, which could be used as new building blocks for the chemical industry as cleaner and more sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals. World Economic Forum, 2011, Abu Dhabi

Reforming of (Bio) CO 2 by (Bio) Methane Biomass Syngas Biogas Reforming F-T

Sunlight-based fuel production Solar-energy collection and conversion