Recycling rare earths, which are vital for electronic components, is critical.
Carbon dioxide is reusable, too, and can generate sustainable electricity – just like in hydroelectric plants.
In their test facility, a research team in Texas exchanged water for supercritical CO2. Above a temperature of 31℃ and pressure of 74 bar, sCO2 resembles a gas, but acts more like a liquid.
As a result, it takes up significantly less space. Meaning that turbine machinery could be minimised by 90% – to the size of a motorcycle, say.
Tests showed the new machinery to be 10% more efficient, with the power to run 10,000 homes.
A possible source of CO2: the ocean. Silk and steam can also generate electricity.
