Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a new system that would allow carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to be used as fuel one day. This system will also provide energy to residences away from the network.

Researchers claim that they are inspired by photosynthesis and that their technologies can be more easily scaled than previous solar devices. The team’s research was published in Nature Energy magazine.

The difference of traditional and new reactors

In previous carbon dioxide collection attempts, it was necessary to burn fossil fuels and store caught carbon dioxide in underground warehouses to capture the carbon in the air. However, the new reactor does not need all this. To work, it takes its energy from the sun and transforms the carbon dioxide it collects from the air into energy instead of trying to pump underground.

According to the researchers, the reactor filters the Air CO2 at night. During the day, it heats a chemical reaction by heating CO2 with sunlight. A mirror in the reactor intensifies sunlight for greater efficiency in the system.

This absorption process converts CO2 into a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). The team is currently investigating how these gases will be transformed into liquid fuels that can provide sustainable power to vehicles such as cars and aircraft. In addition, this system offers an ideal opportunity to provide electricity or fuel away from cities.