One of the solutions to mitigate the climate crisis caused by greenhouse gases is methane. A Spanish investigation has found the answer to this irony.
The study. A group of Navarrese engineers has developed a method where carbon dioxide will produce methane through a single energy source: solar energy. The result of the project has shown that very high levels of methane can be achieved in natural light conditions and without extreme heat.
This new form of clean fuel, categorized as “solar methane”, is added as another alternative to conventional natural gas. The work has been prepared by the group of the INAMAT2 Institute of the Public University of Navarra (UPNA).
The development. Through different catalysts based on ruthenium and fixed in titanium, zirconium and cerium oxide, this combination caused the Sabatier reaction that converts CO2 into methane.
This process is achieved because the catalysts are exposed to sunlight without additional energy to reach the required temperature. In addition, they have developed a system to separate the electrons that are activated by the light of the catalyst (photocatalytic effects) from the heat caused by starting the reaction (thermocatalytic). The resulting technique is photothermocatalysis that makes it possible to make the most of the spectrum of solar radiation.
But is methane very polluting? Next year Spain wants to close its last coal plant, the work for cleaner and less polluting energy does not stop growing. The project design of using methane to produce gas seems contradictory at first glance, since methane causes more pollution than CO2. However, the study wants to take methane towards carbon neutrality, with what?
With green hydrogen. In this process of capturing and converting CO2 into methane to create the fuel, researchers have explained that if we add renewable hydrogen it would be carbon neutral. This “solar methane” is not only an alternative to natural gas but can also be used to transport and store hydrogen through already existing infrastructure.
Spain has been working for some time to become a hub of green hydrogen, above all, thanks to the numerous points it houses in its territory. In recent months, they have been taking steps towards the transportation of both corridors such as H2MED or virtual gas pipelines. Regarding storage, a group of national engineers have managed to create hydrogen batteries.
Image | UPNA
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