Utilizing enzymes, it can be used by anyone, anywhere
CO₂Development and implementation of resource recycling technology

Social issues to be addressed

The most important issue concerning the survival of humanity is "CO₂Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of CO in the atmosphere has₂The concentration continues to increase, and if this continues, temperatures will rise by 100°C in the next 20 years.°CThere are also predictions that it will rise.2050By year, CO₂Carbon neutrality, which essentially reduces emissions to zero, and carbon negative, which looks beyond that(*1)We hope to realize a society where people can live comfortably.

Currently, CO₂Technology for the collection, utilization and storage ofCCUSHowever, existing CO₂Many of the technologies used are CO₂To turn CO into a resource, high temperature and pressure reaction conditions are required, consuming a large amount of energy.₂A major challenge is to secure large amounts of energy sources that do not emit CO.₂The technology to store CO underground is₂The environmental risks associated with storage have not been completely eliminated, and some question its fundamental solution.

We are an existingCCUSWe are taking a unique approach to address the challenges of high temperature and pressure and energy consumption that the technology faces.

(*1) CO₂of CO2 emitted by economic activities₂This refers to a state in which CO emissions exceed those of₂This is an even stronger initiative than "carbon neutrality," which aims to achieve virtually zero carbon emissions.

Approach

Sustainable CO from the perspective of material circulation₂Developing resource recycling technology to reduce CO₂Specifically, by combining a special enzyme that conducts electricity with a gas diffusion electrode, CO2 in the air can be reduced in a room temperature, normal pressure, and neutral environment.₂We are developing a technology that uses the power of electricity to convert carbon dioxide into other substances. This technology has the great advantage of being "usable by anyone, anywhere," and we aim to spread it widely as a safe and familiar decarbonization solution.

This technology₂By converting this into a bioresource, CO2 generated in daily life, such as methane fermentation, brewing, and human breathing, can be reduced.₂These CO₂The annual amount of emissions in Japan is5,00010,000 tons(*2)This is the amount of CO that needs to be captured in 2050.₂This is about a quarter of the amount.

Powered by renewable enzymes and sustainable energy, the technology is CO₂It can be combined with bio-manufacturing to create new products from CO.₂By consistently managing the entire process from resource recovery to commercialization, we will bring about social change toward true carbon neutrality.

(*2)Source: ①Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (2021) Green Growth Strategy for Carbon Neutrality by 2050,②NEDO (2020) “CO₂Overview of separation and recovery technology

What we will do in this project

• low concentration CO₂Development of recovery electrodes
• Gas phase CO₂Consideration of commercialization of bioelectrochemical resource utilization
• Building the foundations for a sustainable society beyond 2050