Applications

  • Direct air capture (DAC) of atmospheric CO₂ at low concentrations (~400 ppm)
  • Electrochemical CO₂ removal with integrated energy storage and recovery
  • Unambiguous measurable, reportable, and verifiable (MRV) CO₂ removal for carbon credit markets
  • Potential solution for hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as aviation and heavy industry

Advantages/Benefits

  • Enables CO₂ capture at atmospheric concentrations through integration of hydration catalysts
  • Accelerates CO₂ hydration kinetics using enzymes like carbonic anhydrase
  • Combines carbon capture and energy storage in a single electrochemical system
  • Can recover over 50% of input energy during the CO₂ release (regeneration) phase
  • Supports accurate carbon accounting using standard chemical measurement techniques

Background

Traditional CO₂ supercapacitors use an applied voltage to capture carbon dioxide through ion migration and adsorption. While effective for concentrated CO₂ sources, these systems struggle with direct air capture due to the slow natural conversion of CO₂ into reactive bicarbonate and carbonate ions. To enable efficient operation at atmospheric CO₂ levels, a catalyst is needed to accelerate this hydration step, the primary barrier to effective low-concentration CO₂ capture.

Technology Overview

Berkeley Lab researchers have developed a conceptual system that integrates carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme evolved to accelerate CO₂ hydration, into CO₂ supercapacitor designs. When added to the aqueous media, these catalysts convert gaseous CO₂ into reactive ions (HCO₃⁻ and CO₃²⁻) far more efficiently, allowing the device to operate effectively even at low CO₂ concentrations. Simulation studies show that with sufficient catalyst loading, the system could support current densities exceeding 100 mA/cm² and achieve energy efficiencies approaching 275 kWh per ton of CO₂ captured. Uniquely, this platform also recovers electrical energy during the CO₂ release phase, functioning as both a carbon capture system and a transient energy storage device. This could provide significant advantages over traditional DAC methods that rely on high-temperature thermal swings with limited-to-no energy recovery.

Development Stage

Proof of Concept

Principal Investigator

  • Peter Agbo

Status

Patent pending

Opportunities

Available for licensing or collaborative research