Italian major Eni and private Swiss company Synhelion are teaming up to develop a new technology to produce methanol - a low emission fuel - from carbon dioxide, water and methane, in a process that harnesses solar energy, Eni said in a statement.
"The production of methanol using renewable energy will help Eni to simultaneously work towards the twin targets of greenhouse gases reduction and carbon dioxide usage as raw material," Eni stated.
Methanol is a high-octane, clean-burning fuel that is a potentially important substitute for gasoline in vehicles.
The innovative process being developed by Eni and Synhelion - a spin-off of Zurich Polytechnic University (ETHZ) - turns CO2 from industrial waste material into a key element of the fuel production cycle, the Eni statement underlined.
Preliminary data show that the new Eni-Synhelion project will cut the emissions released in conventional methanol production by over 50%, the statement said.
The partnership with Synhelion is part of Eni’s strategy to 'decarbonise' its productive cycle by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the statement added.
Eni is an innovation sector leader and is "strongly committed" to partnerships with universities, world-class research centres and affiliated companies such as Synhelion, according to the statement.
"Research and development (R&D) is a key element of Eni’s transformation into an integrated energy company for a low-carbon future," the statement said.
To date, Eni holds 7,300 patents and has launched over 350 projects to study and implement new technologies.
