Clean+Fuel

Plastic waste is one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Now, engineers at MIT have developed an effective new catalyst that breaks down mixed plastics into propane, which can then be burned as fuel or used to make new plastic.

Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has announced he's challenged his team to get the world's first ammonia-powered ship into service by 2022, following their rapid success with hydrogen mining trucks and ammonia-powered locomotives.

Engineers have demonstrated a pilot system that produces fuels from sunlight and air. The device captures carbon dioxide and water from the air and uses solar energy to convert it into syngas, which is then converted into carbon-neutral liquid fuels.

You'll be hearing a lot more about ammonia as a clean fuel option in the race to zero carbon by 2050. In particular, it looks like a strong option for long-haul ships and trucks. So what is it, how is it made, and how does it shape up as green fuel?

It's going to take decades to get aviation, shipping and long-haul transport down to zero emissions – but an interim solution is about to hit the market that can clean up big transport straight away, with no fleet changes – albeit in a strange way.

Scientists have now demonstrated a new type of artificial photosynthesis technology that can not only produce clean hydrogen fuel, but undergo morphological changes during use that makes it become more efficient over time.

Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have found a catalyst that allows the methane in natural gas to be converted into methanol at room temperature, providing a far less energy-intensive option than current solutions.

Direct air capture (DAC) systems have been discussed as a possibility for removing CO2 from the air, but until recently seemed too expensive. After running a pilot plant for three years, Carbon Engineering (CE) has broken down the costs of a DAC system and found how it can work.

Hydrogen has great potential as a future clean energy source, but it's difficult to store safely. Now a Japanese research team has invented a compact, flexible polymer that could lead to a plastic container of hydrogen that's safe to carry in your pocket.