Imagine a tiny biological factory that eats carbon dioxide and breathes out fuel. Instead of using plants, this system uses special bacteria and light-catching materials to mimic nature's process. It works like a solar panel that produces liquid and gas chemicals instead of just electricity.
Industrial CO2 emissions are a major liability for companies. Current carbon capture often lacks an efficient, low-energy way to convert that captured gas into profitable chemicals or fuels.
A photo-micro-reactor and biohybrid systems using organic photosensitizers and microorganisms to produce acetic acid and methane.
If you are a chemical manufacturer dealing with high carbon emissions—this project developed a biohybrid system using Moorella thermoacetica that converts CO2 into acetic acid using sunlight. This allows for a more sustainable production route for organic acids.
If you are an energy company dealing with the need for carbon-neutral gas—this project developed a system using Methanosarcina barkeri that turns CO2 into methane. This provides a way to store solar energy in the form of a combustible gas.
If you are a plant operator dealing with CO2 waste streams—this project developed a photo-micro-reactor that can potentially complement Direct Air Capture technologies. It transforms captured waste into usable chemicals using only sunlight.
Based on available project data, the project compared three different methods and found ion-exchange resins to be the most efficient technique, though specific cost figures are not provided.
The project has modeled the process in batch and continuous bioreactors to aid development, but it currently requires further validation experiments at the laboratory scale to move toward upscaling.
Based on available project data, no specific patent or licensing agreements are mentioned, though a roadmap for commercialization has been delivered.
The system uses batteries to store excess sunlight during the day, which then powers artificial light at night to ensure continuous operation of the reactor.
The project concluded in August 2025, aiming to reach TRL-4, with a long-term roadmap provided for future replication and commercialization.
The consortium is heavily research-oriented, consisting of 5 universities and 2 research centers, with only 1 industrial partner and 1 SME. This results in a low industry ratio of 12%, suggesting the project's primary focus was on scientific validation and modeling rather than immediate commercial production.
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