Cert Systems, a clean tech company focused on carbon conversion, plans to build its first pilot by the end of this year and a demo module within 18 months. The company won funding from the CarbonX 2.0 prize for its CO2 electrolysis technology, which turns industrial emissions into ethylene and renewable fuels using water and electricity. Co-founder Alexander Ip said the company has demonstrated thousands of hours of continuous operation and improved the process to mostly separate ethylene and hydrogen, cutting costs. Ip noted that electricity cost and availability are key bottlenecks for scaling, but the system can ramp up and down quickly to match renewable energy supply. The company sees a major growth opportunity in sustainable aviation fuels after 2030, as policy mandates push airlines to find low-carbon feedstocks. Certification is the next focus, though Ip said he is not concerned about that step. The CarbonX program, led by Tencent, awarded nearly $30 million in catalytic funding to 16 winners to help scale climate solutions.
