Impact theme
Decarbonising hard-to-abate sector

Sector
Industry

Affiliation
DTU Chemistry

Stage

Team
Dimitra Iltsiou, Postdoc, Project Lead and co-inventor
Søren Kegnæs, Professor, co-inventor
Jerrik Mielby, Associate Professor, co-inventor

Why it Matters

Ethanol is a widely used and essential bulk chemical. It is used in numerous industrial applications, including fuels and pharmaceuticals. Conventional ethanol production is primarily based on biomass, resulting in significant follow-on issues like land use, deforestation, and competition with food crops. Moreover, the process generate large amounts of CO2 as a by-product. During the fermentation process of sugars to alcohol, equal amounts of ethanol and CO2 are produced. By utilizing the CO2 this technology can minimize the production of the biproduct and produce 33% more ethanol from the same material input.

Working on

The solution captures and transforms CO2 into a valuable resource by using it as the primary raw material for ethanol production. This is made possible by the development of a low-cost, durable catalyst that efficiently converts CO₂ into ethanol through its reaction with renewable hydrogen (H₂). The hydrogen can be sustainably produced via electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources such as wind and hydropower, ensuring a low-carbon and environmentally responsible process.