L2M QC 2024 – «CO2 to e-fuel»

Carbon dioxide (CO2) atmospheric concentration has increased by 50% (from 280 ppm to 420 ppm) in the last century. Despite efforts to reduce emissions, industries vital to our economy, such as mining, marine transportation, and aviation, remain dependent on fossil fuels for their operations. These sectors are considered hard-to-decarbonize because they lack viable alternatives to fossil fuels. In turn, they release CO2 and are forced to capture it to avoid paying a carbon tax. Once CO2 is captured, it is typically sequestered underground, but this is not a viable solution as there is no guarantee the CO2 will remain there, and it provides no economic advantage. Instead, transforming CO2 into commodity products such as fuels, chemicals, and carbon nanofibers creates a new market opportunity to replace fossil fuel-derived products by recycling CO2. In terms of alternative fuels, this project aims to decarbonize hard-to-decarbonize operations by replacing their fossil fuel with an electro-fuel, or e-fuel (derived from renewable electricity). Our e-fuel is carbon-neutral, free of toxic chemicals and can be used in the engines that the hard-to-decarbonize sector already own. Market research will assess the demand for recycled carbon-neutral products such as fuel, carbon nanofibers, and carbon-based chemicals. This research will validate the type of process we will build, which depends on CO2 capture capability, renewable electricity availability, and end-product needs. Furthermore, it will aid in discovering partnerships with early adopters, potential clients, and investors. This comprehensive market validation is crucial for guiding the project’s next steps towards pilot testing.

Faculty Supervisor:

Daria Camilla Boffito

Student:

Partner:

V1 Studio

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Clean Technology; Environmental Science and Technology; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: