ABOUT THE PROJECT

Low-cost energy-dense fuels are critical to our economy and quality of life, and they may remain so in long distance transportation and long duration stationary storage applications. However, climate change considerations mandate that we transition to climate-neutral fuels as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the production of such fuels at low-cost and at globally relevant scales remains a significant challenge.

Fortunately, the chemical potential in abundant ferrous iron rich natural minerals (e.g., olivine) and industrial wastes (e.g., metal slags and mine tailings) may be leveraged to produce carbon-negative hydrogen and/or methane from water and carbon dioxide.

Step Function’s fuel production technology offers the potential for the synthesis of low-cost carbon-negative fuels at globally relevant scales – without the use of significant amounts of electricity, or any biomass. Furthermore, in industrial waste conversion applications, it will also potentially recover valuable critical minerals while rendering reactive mine wastes inert.