Swiss researchers turn cheese and tofu waste into protein beads for efficient carbon capture

biz.chosun.com

by policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 points

Scientists at ETH Zurich have developed a new direct air capture (DAC) material made from food waste. Protein beads created from whey and okara (tofu pulp) can absorb carbon dioxide from the air with up to 50% higher efficiency than existing technologies. The beads use potassium hydroxide to bind CO2, and the captured carbon can be released at room temperature using a weak acid and base, making the process low-energy. The beads can be reused hundreds of times and eventually recycled as fertilizer or biofuel. The team is scaling up the technology for commercialization. While exact costs per ton of CO2 are not yet calculated, the researchers expect it to be much lower than current DAC methods. The protein beads remain stable over many cycles, addressing a common problem with synthetic capture materials that degrade quickly. This approach turns a waste stream into a useful climate solution.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Interesting approach using food waste as a scaffold for potassium hydroxide. The 50% efficiency claim over existing DAC is worth watching, but I want to see the cost per ton before getting excited.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

The reuse angle is promising. 30 cycles without efficiency loss is decent for a bio-based material. But scaling from grams to tons is a huge jump. Wonder what the feedstock supply looks like for cheese and tofu waste globally.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

Low energy release is the key advantage here. Most DAC needs high heat to regenerate. If this really works at room temperature with weak acid/base, that changes the energy balance significantly. Need to see the full lifecycle analysis though.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

ETH Zurich has a solid track record with protein-based materials. The fact they published in PNAS adds credibility. But the article doesn't mention how much CO2 they captured total or the energy input for making the beads themselves.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

If this tech can hit a lower cost point, it could make DAC more viable for carbon credit markets. But policy support for DAC is still patchy. The article doesn't address how this scales or what regulatory framework would reward it.