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Turning ocean carbon into biodegradable plastic

Researchers have invented a system that captures carbon dioxide from ocean water and converts it to succinic acid, a key monomer used to make the commonly used biodegradable plastic polybutylene succinate (Nat. Catal. 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s41929-025-01416-4). The first-of-its-kind system could also be tailored to make other chemicals, opening a route to sustainable drugs, fuels, and food products.

ECOFUNC pioneers eco-friendly, functional and circular building materials for sustainable construction and beyond

ECOFUNC is a novel European initiative focused on transforming the building and construction sector by developing circular building materials based on biodegradable polymers (PHA) for use in construction, automotive, and furniture industries. Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework, ECOFUNC will run from 2025 to

Brineworks Raises €6.8M to Scale Breakthrough Direct Air Capture for e-Fuels, Aiming for Sub-€100/ton CO₂ Capture

Amsterdam-based climate tech startup Brineworks has secured €6.8 million in new funding to accelerate commercialization of its ultra-low-cost Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. The round was led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Pale Blue Dot, First Momentum, AiiM Partners, Energie360°, and Katapult. Brineworks has also been awarded a €1.8 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, the EU’s

Towards a new future: The role of Power-to-X in ARRRA’s chemical transformation

High energy prices and stringent climate regulations are putting pressure on the chemical industry in the ARRRA region. This has already led to well-established companies closing down their operations. In contrast, a new TNO VoltaChem white paper explores a bold move forward: developing and implementing Power-to-X technology for a sustainable, CO2-based production of chemicals. This

A global first launches in Rakkestad

Today marks the official start of operations at Carbon Centric’s facility in Rakkestad, as the first batch of food-grade liquid CO₂ has been approved and delivered to the customer. This marks a major milestone for the emerging carbon capture industry in Norway: it is the country’s first operational carbon capture plant outside the Norwegian government’s

Prometheus Just Changed Energy and Fuels Forever

In 2018, I founded Prometheus Fuels to prove it was possible to turn renewable electricity and air into gasoline-, jet-, and diesel-range fuels that cost less than fossil fuels. These new “electro-fuels” would cost less because the energy in them would come from solar electricity, which was already cheaper than fossil energy at the time

RESET-CO2: scaling up electrochemical CO2 conversion for renewable production of ethylene

As a key intermediate for plastics, textiles, e-fuels and several other products, ethylene is the most commonly used chemical building block. Its current production is fossil-based and energy-intensive. Within the VoltaChem programme, TNO has recently started a new project (RESET-CO2) to render ethylene production sustainable, starting from CO2 and using renewable electricity. Supported by the

Origen Commissions Multi-Fuel Limestone Kiln With Built-In Direct Air Capture

UK- and US-based climate tech company Origen has commissioned a new limestone kiln at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) in North Dakota, advancing efforts to decarbonize lime production. Standing more than seven stories tall, the kiln is designed to cut over 2,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year in an industry that

Startup turns captured CO2 into everyday cleaning ingredients

A UK firm has announced the world’s first commercial anionic surfactant1 produced using captured CO2 as a principal feedstock. Announced on 30 September, Viridi’s new surfactant seems a significant breakthrough in advancing the sustainability credentials of this class of chemicals, used in most soaps, shampoos, and cleaners. Surfactants are the active ingredient that lets water lift

Poland to Launch First Direct Air Capture Facility in Kielce

Poland Steps Into Carbon Removal Kielce, a city in southeastern Poland, is preparing to host the country’s first direct air capture (DAC) installation, a pilot facility designed to remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. The project, a collaboration between the Kielce municipal government and Warsaw-based technology firm Oraquel S.A., is framed as both an

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