Brighton scientists have been given a six-figure donation to help them find ways to neutralise greenhouse gas.
The research scientists at Brighton University have been handed £150,000 by retired businessman Michael Chowen, the founder of British Bookshops and Sussex Stationers.
Mr Chowen, a long-term supporter of the university, said: “I’m more than excited about this research. It’s a dream come true and wonderful to see so much dedicated hard work going into something that is both cutting edge and also that has so much potential to combat global warming.”
“This is vital for the future of the planet.”
Mr Chowen praised the research team and, in particular, project research fellow Ortrud Aschenbrenner for her “implementation of what has proved a difficult project”.
Dr Ray Whitby, from the university’s School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, and Professor Toru Maekawa from the Bio-Nano Electronic Research Centre at Toyo University, Japan, collaboratively developed a system of breaking apart pressurised CO2 so that, at its critical point, firing a laser at the gas separates it into its harmless components of oxygen and carbon.
Dr Whitby said that the RoCOCO (Reduction of Critically Opalescent CO2) project was still in the laboratory stage.
But he said that he hoped to see large-scale trials within the next five years.
Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dean of the University of Brighton’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, said that the research was exciting and potentially beneficial for all of mankind, but he emphasised that there was more work to do.
He said: “The group is continuing to actively seek funds from charities, research councils and other organisations to support the ongoing development of this research.
“Currently, philanthropic donations made to universities in England, such as the contribution Michael Chowen made to this project, benefit from a matched funding scheme – for the University of Brighton, this means an additional £1 for every £2 given as a donation.”
