Revolutionizing Tech to Produce Sustainable Fuel
By Rashda Khan

A University of Houston-affiliated project that has the potential to transform sustainable fuel production was selected to receive $3.6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Led by SRI, a leading nonprofit research institute, the project titled “Printed Microreactor for Renewable Energy Enabled Fuel Production” or PRIME-Fuel, aims to develop a modular microreactor technology that converts carbon dioxide into methanol using renewable energy sources. UH, a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research institution, is contributing essential research needed for the project.

This is part of ARPA-E’s $41 million Grid-free Renewable Energy Enabling New Ways to Economical Liquids and Long-term Storage program, otherwise known as the GREENWELLS program, which includes 14 projects to develop technologies that use renewable energy sources like wind and solar to produce sustainable liquid fuels or chemicals, which can be transported and stored similarly to gasoline or oil. Selected teams will develop systems that use electricity, carbon dioxide and water at renewable energy sites to produce renewable liquid renewable fuels that offer a clean alternative for sectors like transportation.

“Renewables-to-liquids fuel production has the potential to boost the utility of renewable energy all while helping to lay the groundwork for the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals of creating a clean energy economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in an ARPA-E press release.

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“We believe that PRIME-Fuel will play a critical role in the transition to sustainable energy solutions,” said Rahul Pandey, senior scientist with SRI and principal investigator on the project. “By harnessing renewable energy to produce methanol, we can help combat climate change while providing valuable resources for various industries by leading to cost-effective and sustainable methanol production.”

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