Methane Emissions From Landfill Could Be Turned into Sustainable Jet Fuel in Plasma Chemistry Leap

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A new plasma technique developed by researchers at the University of Sydney could help create a circular economy for waste-generated methane emissions.

A new plasma technique developed by researchers at the University of Sydney could help create a circular economy for waste-generated methane emissions.

In a world first, University of Sydney researchers have developed a chemical process using plasma that could create sustainable jet fuel from methane gas emitted from landfills, potentially creating a low-carbon aviation industry.

Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2). According to the International Energy Agency, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere is currently around two-and-a-half times greater than pre-industrial levels and is increasing steadily, with waste emissions and the burning of fossil fuels accounting for a significant proportion.

The research was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Read more at University of Sydney

Image: Methane wells. Image: Luisa Low, University of Sydney