Carbon-neutral solar fuel prototype developed in Zurich
The solar reactor on the roof of the ETH, Sonneggstrasse, Zurich.
Alessandro Della Bella
A Swiss research team has unveiled technology than can produce car and plane-ready fuel from nothing but air and water, a discovery with potentially big consequences for transport and the environment.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/dos
Presenting their “mini-refinery” as a global first, scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) say that the solar panels can produce synthetic liquid fuels that release only as much CO2 in combustion as was previously extracted from the air for production.
In their prototype solar plant (on a rooftop in Zurich, see photo), “CO2 and water are extracted directly from ambient air and split using solar energy”, according to a press releaseExternal link. The resultant gas mixture can then be processed into kerosene, methanol or other hydrocarbons.
“This plant proves that carbon-neutral hydrocarbon fuels can be made from sunlight and air under real field conditions,” said Aldo Steinfeld, Professor of Renewable Energy Carriers at ETHZ.
Around one decilitre of fuel is produced daily by the small reactor; another, larger prototype is currently being built by the same research team on a solar tower near Madrid, in Spain.
Economically feasible?
The researchers are confident that in the future the technology can be made industrially viable and economically competitive. “Theoretically, a plant the size of Switzerland – or a third of the Californian Mojave Desert – could cover the kerosene needs of the entire aviation industry,” said Philipp Furler, Director of Synhelion, a commercial solar fuel production group.
The technology adds to growing efforts to come up with ways to ensure a carbon neutral, environmentally sustainable future; this includes innovation to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, a field in which Switzerland is also a leader.
Also this week, in a separate project, researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) announced that they had discoveredExternal link a method of using iron atoms to convert CO2 from burning fossil fuels directly into carbon monoxide – an essential ingredient for synthetic fuels, as well as plastics and other materials.
Their results were published on Friday in the Science magazine.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Trump tariffs: ‘I’m a bit perplexed’, says former US ambassador to Switzerland
This content was published on
The former US ambassador to Switzerland, Edward McMullen, says he is optimistic for the Alpine country with regard to the 31% tariff on imports imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Swiss Federal Court upholds Beny Steinmetz’s bribery conviction
This content was published on
Switzerland's highest court has upheld the conviction of French-Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz for bribery of foreign public officials.
This content was published on
The Trump administration has imposed a 31% tariff on imports from Switzerland. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter has warned against "giving in to alarmism" in an interview published on Saturday,
This content was published on
Scientists have shown that bonobos combine their calls into complex sound sequences that resemble combinations of human words.
This content was published on
US parliamentarians have threatened the UN Human Rights Council with sanctions similar to those against the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This content was published on
Thanks to abundant snowfall, lift operators benefited from increased visitor numbers, with the number of guests jumping by 12% year-on-year.
Swiss youth undecided about how to tackle climate change
This content was published on
Young Swiss want politicians to take radical measures to counter climate change, but they shy away from concrete ideas a survey has found.
This content was published on
Technologies that block solar radiation or remove CO2 could help tackle global warming. Switzerland is hoping the global community will explore them.
Alpine nations struggle to confront climate change together
This content was published on
Rising temperatures will have a profound effect on the Alps. Yet more cooperation is needed to address climate change in this fragile region.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.