Yale-based start-up converts captured CO2 into methanol

Yale-based start-up Oxylus Energy has converted captured carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol using an electrolyzer at room temperature and pressure at a production-level scale.

On December 13, Oxylus Energy said it had passed the key benchmark test for the deployment and commercialization of its proprietary catalyst and electrolyzer technology in a 5 cm2 cell.

According to Oxylus, the technology could become one of the most cost-effective methods for generating renewable methanol, potentially surpassing fossil-derived methanol.

By directly converting CO2 into methanol, this technology avoids the use of a second reactor to create hydrogen, saving costs and energy in the process, Oxylus explained. Producing methanol as the only liquid end product also reduces separation and distillation expenses, making the entire process simpler and more cost-effective than other CO2 electrolysis methods.

Following the validation of its 5 cm2 platform, Oxylus is now prepared for the next phase and is gearing up for tests at a 10x scale before the end of the year. The upcoming trials will focus on the newly designed and constructed 50 cm2 cell and incorporate stability testing into the evaluation process, the start-up said.

Perry Bakas, Co-Founder of Oxylus Energy, stated: “This successful test confirms our capacity to generate renewable methanol on a platform that instills confidence in our ability to scale. The 5cm2 unit is the cornerstone of any electrolysis company as it has a high predictability for performance at the production scale. While diligently testing our 5cm2 electrolyzer, we simultaneously developed a larger 50cm2 counterpart to prove that we can develop larger electrolyzers that are firmly off the bench-scale.

“Our sights are already set on the next significant step on our scale-up journey – a production-level cell. Major industries like the aviation and petrochemical industries need clean, renewable solutions now. We are not wasting any time.”