A breakthrough carbon capture technology from the University of Surrey could give the UK a competitive edge in producing clean fuel from air.
The system, called Dual-Function Material (DFM), captures carbon dioxide (CO₂) and converts it into synthetic fuel—potentially at a fraction of current industry costs.
Research published in Applied Energy found the method could remove CO₂ at around $740 (£560) per tonne, with future improvements bringing it below $400 (£303).
This would put it on par with or ahead of existing commercial carbon capture technologies.
“For the first time, we’ve been able to demonstrate it can be financially competitive to use DFMs for direct air capture,” said Dr Michael Short, lead author and associate professor at Surrey. “Using green hydrogen from renewable electricity and carbon from the atmosphere, our system can help to replace fossil feedstocks in sectors like steel manufacturing.”
The team tested different system designs to find the most cost-effective setup for capturing 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year—on a scale comparable to other commercial systems.
The technology could be integrated with existing industry infrastructure, making large-scale deployment more feasible.
Surrey’s innovation could play a key role in cutting emissions while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
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