The University of Queensland (UQ) has launched an ambitious initiative to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful products such as fuels and chemicals, according to a statement, published on UQ’s website last week.
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (GETCO2) is a $29 million (A$45 million), seven-year collaboration, involving seven Australian universities, industry partners, and government entities.
The project is led by Professor Xiwang Zhang from UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering.
“With electrochemical conversion, CO2 is transformed from being the biggest problem of our time to a valuable resource,” Professor Zhang was quoted as saying.
The initiative brings together world-leading experts and promising early-career researchers.
“The groundbreaking science at GETCO2 will point to a smart and clean path to net zero emissions by 2050, with Australia leading the way,” Zhang added.
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One notable project at UQ has already developed a device that generates electricity by absorbing CO2.
For their work on a small, proof-of-concept nanogenerator that is carbon negative, Professor Zhang and Dr. Zhuyuan Wang are finalists for the 2024 Eureka Prize for Innovative Research in Sustainability.
Professor Zhang expressed excitement about continuing to develop this and other technologies at GETCO2, and envisioned devices, such as mobile phones or laptops, being powered by CO2 from the atmosphere in the future.
He also suggested that, on a larger scale, this technology could be integrated with industrial CO2 capture processes to produce electricity.
GETCO2 was officially launched on July 30 by Assistant Minister for Education, Senator Anthony Chisholm.
Its legacy will include advanced technologies and a skilled workforce capable of addressing future challenges, UQ said.
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