Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Our project is the development and commercialization of a small-scale, point of use production system that utilizes photocatalytic steam methane reforming to generate low emission hydrogen gas. Our foundational technology is a nanoparticle system called the Antenna-Reactor . It is a plasmonic photocatalyst that was developed at the birthplace of nanotechnology, Rice University. This is directly applicable to energy storage because it can be used to turn solar energy into hydrogen fuel for later consumption. 

This project was motivated by my desire to find something that could disrupt the energy and chemicals industry for the better. The search focused on finding a technology that reduces emissions and is more economical than existing processes. We found the paper for the Antenna-Reactor, became interested, and started asking questions about how it would be manufactured, what effects this catalyst would have on chemical production, etc. Due diligence lasted 6 months and we concluded that this really was something new and revolutionary. The next logical step was to start a company to realize the potential this technology shows.

Technology development will occur over 4 stages, 1) Lab Scale, 2) Bench Scale, 3) Pilot Scale, 4) Demonstration Units. Lab scale development has already been completed at Rice University. Bench Scale development began in March 2018 and will last 12 months. At pilot scale, we will be deploying a full-size system which is expected to take another 12-18 months. Finally, after pilot testing is complete, Syzygy plans to deploy fully operational demonstration units for field trials.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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Mission Statement:

My company is Syzygy Plasmonics (pronounced Siz-Uh-Jee ). The word Syzygy is a real word and is defined as "the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies (such as the sun, moon, and earth during a solar or lunar eclipse)". For our company, this word means the alignment of three things that are shaping the future of our planet. They are Energy, Technology, and Sustainability. These three pillars form the core of the company and work to support our mission statement: "Utilize breakthroughs in plasmonics to drive sustainability in the Energy and Chemical industries"

My co-founder and I feel that it is important that sustainability was built into the DNA of the company from the beginning. When we first identified this technology, we were primarily concerned with finding something that could both have a huge potential market and a positive impact on the world. That emphasis on sustainability has only grown since we started. My company is excited to bring this world-changing technology to market and bring about a more sustainable, low-emission future.