INPEX CORPORATION - Project utilizing NEDO study results wins first place at international artificial photosynthesis competition

INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX) and The University of Tokyo (hereinafter 'team') participated in the international artificial photosynthesis competition 'Fuel from the Sun: Artificial Photosynthesis' building an artificial photosynthesis system utilizing the results of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization's (NEDO) project on 'Technology Development for the Production of Key Chemicals Using Carbon Dioxide as a Raw Material,' supported by ARPChem. The winner of the competition was announced at the awards ceremony held on December 5, and the team was awarded first place (out of a total of 22 teams) and won five million euros

ARPChem has been working on the development of technology to produce solar hydrogen from water through photocatalysis using solar energy under the guidance of Dr. Domen Kazunari, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Tokyo, and a Specially Appointed Professor at Shinshu University. Dr. Domen serves as photocatalysis theme leader within the scheme of the 'Artificial Photosynthesis Project ( Technology Development for the Production of Key Chemicals Using Carbon Dioxide as a Raw Material)' (hereinafter 'the project') implemented by NEDO from FY2014 to FY2021. Through the project, ARPChem succeeded in demonstrating hydrogen production using a 100 square meter photocatalyst panel outdoors in collaboration with the University of Tokyo in 2021. The team participated in the international artificial photosynthesis competition 'Fuel from the Sun: Artificial Photosynthesis' sponsored by the European Innovation Council (EIC) with a submission combining the results obtained in the project with methane synthesis technology, with the support of ARPChem. The competition was held in Ispra, Lombardy, Italy from July 4 to 7, and three teams that selected as finalists from 22 proposals operated artificial photosynthesis prototype devices outdoors for three days. The competition tested the technical ability to construct a functional prototype device for practical fuel synthesis using artificial photosynthesis technology. The University of Tokyo utilized the results of the project to produce hydrogen,and constructed with INPEX a device that converts the obtained hydrogen and CO2 (supplied by the organizer) into methane, producing methane fuel. The results of the competition were announced at an awards ceremony on December 5, with the team taking first place and winning 5 million euros. This achievement was realized by combining hydrogen production technology cultivated in the NEDO project and methane synthesis technology promoted by INPEX

ARPChem is participating in NEDO's 'Green Innovation Fund Projects / Development of Technology for Producing Raw Materials for Plastics Using CO2 and Other Sources'to develop the results of the project for practical implementation in society. ARPChem is also working on the development of more efficient photocatalyst materials and sheet technology. This is expected to pave the way to carbon neutrality in 2050 and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the production of plastic raw materials using artificial photosynthesis technolog

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