The immediate impact of innovative technologies
We have been burning fossil fuels for centuries, leading to incredible transportation and technology advancements. High energy density and convenience to store, transport & use have driven the growth of fossil fuel. However, the environmental impact of using fossil fuels is apparent to everyone. But we have yet to find a good substitute for fossil fuel in terms of availability and fitness to purpose.
Renewable energy sources (such as solar panels and wind turbines) need a large surface area to meet global demand. Hydrogen and ammonia have important potential roles in a net zero economy as they have no carbon emissions at the point of use. However, ammonia-powered engines emit N2O, which is 298 times more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, whereas Hydrogen-powered engines emit NOX. Ammonia is toxic and needs low-temperature or high-pressure storage. Furthermore, most of the zero-carbon fuels currently available in the market are made from fossil fuels. The actual zero-carbon fuels available are in a small percentage, but it is rapidly changing in the right direction. Recent studies show that we won't be able to meet the Paris Agreement Goal of a 1.5 °C global warming cap even if all infrastructures are built with zero carbon emission from today. The next ten years are crucial for our race against global warming, and zero carbon fuel and renewable energy cannot rescue us in this short period. Because the existing CO2 inventory is too high, we can achieve this goal only by retrofitting current infrastructure. This is Daphne's strength.
Methane's role in global warming
Climate change is real and happening now. Methane (CH4) is second only to carbon dioxide (CO2) in driving climate change. More than half of global methane emissions stem from human activities in three sectors: fossil fuels, waste and agriculture. The atmospheric concentration of methane has more than doubled since preindustrial times. The relatively short atmospheric lifetime of methane, combined with its strong warming potential, means that actions to reduce emissions can provide benefits within a few decades. Methane emission happens naturally in the environment, but fortunately, nature found a way to sequester the methane using the sun's UV light and OH free radicals; it takes 12 years for this process. Daphne's breakthrough technology, SlipPureTM, recreates the natural process artificially and transforms the methane in a fraction of a second.
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Our Research & Development
Our central research division combines expertise in chemical engineering and synthesis, process development, power electronics, and automation and control. Our application-driven research and development divisions quickly produce game-changing innovations to tackle GHG emissions from hard-to-abate sectors uniquely. Daphne has two research and development facilities in Switzerland.
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Upcoming developments
Climate change doesn't stop, so we won't either. We aim to continuously find new solutions and, at the same time, develop and deploy existing technology further. And even further. Ultimately, this effort will contribute to reaching net-zero.
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Publications & Papers
By publishing and contributing to extensive research publications, we hope to inspire action and progress towards a more sustainable future. We believe that collaboration and innovation are the keys to mitigating the impacts of climate change and finding impactful solutions, and we are committed to playing our part in this ongoing fight.
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