New Haven Business Secures $4.5M to Advance Carbon-Capture Innovation

Hey, listen up, folks! There’s some hot news coming out of New Haven that’s worth chatting about. Ever heard about Oxylus Energy? No? Well, pull up a chair and let’s dig in.

Heavy Hitters Back Oxylus Energy

So, this scrappy New Haven outfit named Oxylus Energy just sealed a sweet $4.5 million deal. Who’s backing them? Try Toyota Ventures and Azolla Ventures out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Yeah, that Toyota—the same one parked all over the five boroughs.

Transforming Carbon into Gold

Oxylus isn’t just any tech start-up. They’re capitalizing on a carbon-capture magic trick dreamt up by a whiz at Yale University. This brainiac professor figured out how to whip up methanol from carbon dioxide, water, and electricity. Methanol, baby! We’re talking renewable gasoline and even jet fuel here.

Who Else is Chipping In?

Not just the heavy-hitters, mind you. Earth Foundry and Connecticut Innovations are also tossing in some dough. This isn’t just a local play; this is about decarbonizing global industries.

Playing it Cool with Low Temps and Low Pressures

The catalyst—thanks to Professor Hailiang Wang at Yale—is groundbreaking. Why? Because this fancy process turns carbon dioxide into methanol at low temperatures and pressures. What does that mean? It slashes the cost of making these fuels.

The Big Picture: Saving the World, One Sector at a Time

Here’s the kicker. Co-founder and CTO Conor Rooney says, “Without reducing the price of methanol, we can’t touch the tough sectors like aviation, shipping, and petrochemicals.” These sectors are currently coughing up 11% of global emissions.

Numbers Don’t Lie

Oxylus cited stats from the International Renewable Energy Agency, noting green methanol production is below 0.2 million tons a year now but could skyrocket to 500 million tons by 2050. That’s a future worth betting on.

Fuel for the Future

CEO Perry Bakas added, “Oxylus’ tech can satisfy the growing methanol market in the net-zero transition at a competitive price.” In simpler terms? This tech could seriously decarbonize sectors like shipping, maritime, and aviation.

Where’s the Money Going?

What’s the $4.5 mil for? Well, Oxylus aims to whip up reactors similar to hydrogen electrolyzers. These babies will catalyze the carbon-to-fuel conversion. They’re also looking to jump from prototype testing to pilot deployment.

Perks of the Fuel

Methanol produced by Oxylus’ process? It’s renewable gasoline, folks. And when upgraded, it can even become jet fuel. We’re talking about making air travel and shipping greener, cutting emissions, and slashing fuel costs.

Final Thoughts

Look, Oxylus Energy might just be that game-changer we didn’t see coming. With major players backing them, a genius process, and a solid roadmap, there’s a lot to be excited about. So next time you think about emissions, remember there’s a team in New Haven giving it everything they’ve got to clean up this mess.

Catch you on the flipside, New York! Let’s keep an eye on this one—I reckon it’ll be big.