As populations grow and purchasing power expands, global energy demand is projected to reach 770 quadrillion BTUs by 2035 , a 53% increase over 2008 levels. Thermal power generation offers advantages such as fast deployment and flexibility to meet fluctuating demand and seasonality. However, its operation results in large volumes of greenhouse gas emissions, posing environmental and public health risks.

A team of Brazilian researchers has developed a ceramic material that, when heated by microwaves, rapidly reaches extremely high temperatures and has shown excellent performance in gas incineration. The goal is to deploy this material in a pre-industrial-scale device capable of pyrolyzing greenhouse gases.

​

The inventor of this technology received the 2012 FINEP Innovation Award

​

Benefits

• ​A favorable alternative to traditional incineration burners, enabling flameless combustion without releasing harmful gases

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from thermal power plants

 

Applications

• Carbon capture and sequestration of CO and CO₂ emissions from thermal power plants, with applications in biomethane production and automotive use​​

Mitigating the harmful effects of thermal power generation

A ceramic-based device enables pyrolysis of greenhouse gases emitted by thermal power plants