The group dedicated to the manufacture of lime participates in the LightNet project to develop a technology that allows CO2 to be fixed on surfaces using sunlight
The capture and storage of CO2 from the air is one of the strategies that have been put on the table for the reduction of gases with a greenhouse effect. In the search for innovative solutions to mitigate the climate crisis, the Penedes company Cales de Pachs, Sorigué and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) are working together on the development of a technology that allows CO2 to be fixed on surfaces using the sunlight
The name given to this project is LightNet and the research is being carried out in the industrial complex of La Plana del Corb (Lleida) in Sorigué. LightNet technology has been devised and patented by ICN2 researchers.
This solution is based on a chemical process that occurs naturally in limestone and other minerals through which atmospheric CO 2 is fixed in the form of calcium carbonate. LighNet powers this process using sunlight, resulting in efficient and clean technology.
Another aspect that adds value to this solution is that the lime-based material required for its production can be obtained locally and at low cost. For the real-scale tests, ICN2 and Cales de Pachs have developed a product with two different presentations that will be tested at the Sorigué facilities in Balaguer.
The first is presented in a format similar to plaster, which can be applied to different surfaces. The second are small spheres that can be contained in metal structures in the open air. Both options are designed so that they can be easily integrated into urban environments.
In a first phase, the material has been applied in the form of “plaster” in different formulations on a concrete dowel to evaluate its performance under various conditions. In a second phase, the application to other surfaces and elements of street furniture will be assessed.
Considering all these aspects, the capture of CO2 enhanced by light becomes an innovative way to explore in the fight against the climate crisis.