Research summary
To transition to a low-carbon economy and meet its net-zero targets, Canada will need to significantly grow its renewable power-generation infrastructure, including intermittent solar and wind power. Dr. Jeffrey Bergthorson, Canada Research Chair in Carbon-Free Circular Fuels, is leading an emerging global effort to develop the technologies to make this happen.
He and his research team are developing technologies that use metals as carbon-free, recyclable and sustainable circular fuels that store renewable energy. These fuels can then be used to power the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy. Bergthorson’s team is also conducting microgravity experiments on parabolic flight aircraft and sounding rockets to study the combustion of metal fuels. In addition, they are developing technologies that cause metals to react with water to generate hydrogen, heat and power on demand, and that burn metals with air to produce heat and power. Ultimately, these innovative technologies could help fight climate change.technologies using metals as carbon-free, recyclable, and sustainable circular fuels that store renewable
energy to power the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy. His team studies the combustion ofmetal fuels in microgravity experiments on parabolic-
ight aircraft and sounding rockets. They developtechnologies that react metals with water to generate hydrogen, heat and power on demand, and that burnmetals with air to produce heat and power. Prof. Bergthorson’s team are deploying these novel technologiesto ght climate change while maintaining prosperity.