BETO announces that scientists from multiple labs are seeking new ways to convert CO2 into biofuels and bioproducts

In Washington D.C, The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) said that a collaborative team of BETO-funded scientists from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are searching for carbon utilization technologies that can make better use of the carbon dioxide generated by industry, transportation, and agriculture by transforming it into SAF and other useful products. BETO stated that methanol has “rich potential for uses that contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help in the fight against climate change.” It can generate electricity when used for fuel cells, serve as a heating fuel for boilers, or be used as a sustainable or blended fuel for road, marine, or (potentially) aviation. Additionally, methanol is used as a chemical industry feedstock for the synthesis of formaldehyde, acetic acid, and other health and life sciences products. While there are carbon emissions from the production of methanol from CO2, they can be significantly lower than those associated with fossil fuels when renewable electricity is used during the process, BETO stated. “A net-zero greenhouse gas economy of the future will still need carbon-based fuels and chemicals,” said BETO Director Valerie Sarisky-Reed. “This research will expand the resource pool of renewable carbon that can be leveraged to meet those needs. Making renewable methanol from CO2 and electricity provides an innovative route to a host of fuels and products,” she added.

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