RedoxNRG makes fuel from CO2 from the air
The amount of CO2 in the air is increasing sharply, and most scientists are very concerned about this. Estonian startup RedoxNRG not only removes CO2 from the air, they even turn it into a useful product, formic acid.
CO2, both very useful and a problem
CO2 is – under normal circumstances – a very useful gas. Plants cannot do without it and a higher CO2 content immediately means much stronger plant growth. But CO2 also causes the atmosphere to retain more heat, causing global warming and climate change. For that reason, inventors are looking for ways to remove the CO2 from the air and do something useful with it.
How does RedoxNRG work?
The compact generator from RedoxNRG from Estonia actually does two things. With the first step, the generator removes CO2 from the air. In the second step, the CO2 is converted into formic acid (HCOOH) by means of a chemical reaction with hydrogen.
Formic acid is a popular raw material in the chemical industry and you can also use it as a fuel. Formic acid is what’s in the stinging nettles’ spines that makes ant bites hurt so much.
The big advantage of the process is that you can use energy from, for example, solar panels to run the generator. There are times, for example in the middle of the day, when electricity is almost free and you even receive money if you use electricity at that time. Thanks to this generator you can still use that electricity usefully. RedoxNRG can already remove CO2 from the air from 400 ppm. That is the CO2 content in the air now.
Formic acid, therefore sought after as a raw material
Formic acid is often used as a preservative. It is also added to animal feed to inhibit bacterial growth. At the moment, formic acid is produced via a process that is not very environmentally friendly. That is no longer necessary – thanks to this invention. There are many more applications of formic acid. For example, you can use it as a chemical raw material, as fuel for a formic acid fuel cell.
