Capturing carbon from the atmosphere is a key component to fighting climate change, but one that currently comes at a high cost. To drastically lower the energy cost of capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide and help advance clean technology, engineering students at the University of Toronto have developed an innovative electrochemical process that captures and stores CO2 directly from the atmosphere.
Their process uses a device called an electrolyzer that harnesses electricity to power a chemical reaction, which means the team’s technology can be powered entirely by renewable energy sources and operate at lower temperatures and pressures than existing methods.
Through Elon Musk’s global XPRIZE carbon removal contest, the students received the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Student Award and seed funding to commercialize their innovation and bring a sustainable carbon removal process to market faster.
For more information, visit the University of Toronto.