Oxylus Energy raises $4.5 MM seed round for clean fuel technology
- Oxylus' solution is the first low-temperature and low-pressure conversion of carbon dioxide to green methanol. The methanol can be used as a drop-in fuel replacement or upgraded to jet fuel and other green petrochemicals.
Oxylus Energy, developer of a novel carbon utilization technology for the production of e-fuels, announced the close of its $4.5-MM series seed investment co-led by Toyota Ventures and Azolla Ventures with participation from Earth Foundry and Connecticut Innovations. Oxylus' solution is the first low-temperature and low-pressure conversion of carbon dioxide to green methanol, a liquid fuel. This is enabled by commercializing the first-ever catalyst developed at Yale University by Professor Hailiang Wang for direct electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol. Building reactors similar to green hydrogen electrolyzers, Oxylus creates methanol using only captured carbon dioxide, water and electricity. Designed to operate in modular conditions, this approach is a lower-cost technology for carbon conversion into alternative fuels. This funding will accelerate Oxylus' technology development, prototype testing and pilot deployment.
Oxylus Energy's methanol can be used as a drop-in fuel replacement or upgraded to jet fuel and other green petrochemicals. By uniquely combining carbon conversion and alternative fuel production this approach can reduce energy expenditures and cut costs for fuel production. "Direct electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide at low temperatures and pressures is the only way to decrease the cost of green methanol," said Conor Rooney, Co-Founder and CTO of Oxylus. According to Harrison Meyer, Co-Founder and COO of Oxylus, "Without decreasing the price of methanol it will be difficult to decarbonize the hard-to-abate sectors of aviation, shipping, and petrochemicals that are currently responsible for 11% of global emissions."
The World Economic Forum states that green methanol can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 95%. Furthermore, "green methanol can be blended with traditional gasoline or diesel fuel, offering a seamless transition … minimizing the need for infrastructure upgrades." Current green methanol production is less than 0.2 million tons annually, but according to estimates from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), this is likely to rise to 500 million tons by 2050. "This is why Oxylus' technology is critical—it can meet the growing market demand for methanol in the net-zero transition at a price that actually works for industry," said Co-Founder and CEO Perry Bakas.
"We are thrilled to support the team at Oxylus Energy as they work to scale this cost-effective process for e-fuel production," said Lisa Coca, Climate Fund partner, Toyota Ventures. "Eliminating the need for hydrogen as an input is a significant innovation in the green energy space that has the potential to dramatically reduce production costs and unlock numerous decarbonization pathways."
"While green methanol provides a pathway to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like shipping, maritime and aviation, price premiums and limited supply restrict feasibility of adoption. Oxylus Energy's modular single-step CO2 electrolyzer, however, is highly efficient, reduces cost, and can be easily stacked to scale green methanol production," said Amy Duffuor, General Partner at Azolla Ventures. "Oxylus Energy's technical progress combined with the novel catalyst, complementary team and ability to target multiple market applications, makes it an optimal investment for Azolla. We are incredibly excited to partner with Oxylus Energy on the next phase of their journey."
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