Fellows Project RenewCO2

RenewCO2 is commercializing a proprietary catalyst and one-step process to convert CO2 into cost-competitive carbon-negative monomers, chemicals, and fuels.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Petrochemical processes used to make everyday plastics and chemicals emit 920 million tons of CO2 per year, aggravating climate change. Chemical production can be decarbonized by replacing fossil-based materials with chemicals made from recycled CO2, water, and electricity.

The RenewCO2 team has developed a proprietary catalyst that enables a one-step, low-temperature process for converting CO2 into carbon-negative chemicals. Inspired by nature, their new technology accelerates the CO2 conversion with high-selectivity and low-energy requirements. This efficient system can produce carbon-negative monomers and chemicals that are cost-competitive with conventional fossil-fuel-based products.

RenewCO2 is currently focused on monoethylene glycol, a monomer for polyester, and plans to expand into formic acid, which can be used as a stable liquid hydrogen carrier. When scaled, these chemicals could eliminate CO2 emissions on the order of gigatons per year by 2050.