Nataqua is a startup company that aims to help ethanol producers profit from carbon dioxide emissions by producing more ethanol on site. Last year, the small company joined the Renewable Fuels Association as an associate member in a move it says shows its commitment to the ethanol industry specifically.&nbsp;The company isn’t yet ready to offer its unique carbon dioxide-to-ethanol reactor to producers, but Alex Motey, co-founder and CEO, says Nataqua’s approach to commercialization is on the right track. Randall Doyal, past chairman of the RFA and former CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel, agrees and serves as an advisor to the company. Chris Barile, a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, is the electrochemist helping lead the technical efforts of the startup.&nbsp;Motey admits that Nataqua is not the first entity with the idea to develop a commercially viable technology to convert CO2 to ethanol. He does say, however, that his team is one of only a handful that is focused on serving the ethanol industry first and foremost. Since researchers came across a unique catalyst capable of making electrolysis for CO2-to-ethanol feasible back in 2016, several firms have attempted the task. Some, like LanzaTech, have been successful.&nbsp;More than 65 groups have demonstrated that the process is feasible, Motey estimates. Cert Systems in Canada is developing an electrochemical process that could be similar to Nataqua’s. Adkins Energy and CapCO2 are already building out a facility that can turn CO2 into green methanol. Twelve, a company that has collaborated with LanzaTech, is developing a plant to produce what it calls E-Jet SAF in a process that converts CO2 into a renewable fuel. Avfuel Corp. is developing a CO2-to-SAF process using electrochemistry and special catalysts. And AirCo is focused on serving the SAF industry with its trademarked Airmade tech after rebranding and refocusing this year toward fuels and away from alcohols and fragrances.&nbsp;According to Motey, most groups developing CO2 conversion technologies eventually choose one of three options: making syngas from carbon dioxide and water, directly converting CO2 into ethylene or transforming it into jet fuel. These pathways remain popular because of prevailing beliefs about chemical conversion efficiencies and projected hydrogen feedstock costs, he says.&nbsp;Should Nataqua’s unique approach prove out at scale, Motey believes it can offer solutions for several challenges facing the ethanol industry.A New Approach&nbsp; Motey and Barile’s team has developed an electrolyzer reactor that requires three simple ingredients to function—CO2, water and electricity. The system splits water into hydrogen and oxygen internally. The hydrogen created in the system immediately reacts with CO2 to form ethanol and water, producing a mixture that integrates seamlessly into an ethanol plant’s existing pre-distillation process. The current iteration of their process uses an inexpensive catalyst to convert the CO2 into ethanol at room temperature and is protected by multiple pending patents. To date, the system has proven to be highly faradaic, meaning capable and efficient at transferring an electrical charge through a system to get the desired result.&nbsp;In 2016, Ethanol Producer Magazine first wrote about a new catalyst made of carbon, nitrogen and copper that was capable of converting CO2 into ethanol. At the time, the researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory who discovered the catalyst said several parties were interested in helping commercialize the product. Since then, several other catalyst breakthroughs have been announced on the CO2-to-ethanol front. In 2020, a team of researchers from Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Northern Illinois University discovered an electrocatalyst capable of converting CO2 into ethanol. Their version, also copper-based, proved to be more efficient than other versions and was viable at low voltage.&nbsp;In 2021, an international team of researchers under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven Lab made the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society for their work developing a catalyst and process for turning CO2 into ethanol.Last year, scientists at Stanford released insight on work to make a different catalyst capable of producing ethanol from CO2, but the process and catalyst needed further study due to the costs associated.&nbsp;Motey and Barile have focused on developing specialized electrochemical catalysts to go with an electrolysis system. Electrolysis systems typically involve the introduction of current in a vessel containing an electrolyte solution. An internal electrode fires and creates a charge in the solution. The electricity creates a non-spontaneous reaction and splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.&nbsp;Nataqua is working to create a practical and smooth integration option that will work with existing ethanol plants. Essentially, the process would convert CO2 exhaust streams directly into ethanol prior to entrance into the pre-distillation mix.&nbsp;“Historically, many groups have struggled to scale because they optimized one attribute at a time, such as maximizing ethanol production volume without addressing overall system economics from the outset,” Motey says.Barile is focused on minimizing the cost per gallon for CO2-to-ethanol conversion rather than prematurely perfecting upfront capital costs. After scaling the prototype electrolyzer, Nataqua intends to collaborate with ethanol plant partners.&nbsp;“Our CO2-to-ethanol technology addresses common objections to CO2 storage, eliminating the need for complicated new supply chains or distribution networks,” Motey says.&nbsp;In addition to diminishing the need for some plants to connect to a CO2 pipeline or invest in carbon capture and sequestration networks, technologies like Nataqua’s could help plants transition from traditional feedstocks to alternative options like switchgrass or miscanthus, Motey says.&nbsp;When switching feedstocks from corn to miscanthus or switchgrass, ethanol concentrations from fermentations would drop significantly from the 12% to 16% seen in corn, to only 4% to 10%. Such decreases would dramatically increase distillation costs, Motey says, and decrease total yield. &nbsp;“Our technology can resolve this challenge by converting fermentation-produced CO2 directly into additional ethanol on site,” he says.&nbsp;The process restores pre-distillation ethanol concentrations seen with corn to economically viable levels using switchgrass or other alternative feedstocks.Team Credentials&nbsp;&nbsp; Motey, an inventor and financial analyst prior to founding Nataqua, has always believed in the importance of pairing long-term thinking with an understanding of people’s beliefs and actions. Combining those perspectives, he says, can yield impactful results.&nbsp;“When the world paused during the pandemic, I found myself diving into materials science and engineering, craving to develop a product,” he says. “I spent countless hours reaching out to experts, researchers and entrepreneurs, and that’s how I connected with Dr. Barile. Our relationship, driven by a shared excitement and curiosity, eventually led us to work on what became Nataqua.”&nbsp;When Motey initially reached out to Barile and talked about working together, the pair clicked from the start. Motey even used his personal savings to sponsor a project in Barile’s lab at UNR that involved using a hydrothermal reactor to synthesize CO2-capturing sponges for vehicle tailpipe filters. The concept was based on the idea that drivers could remove the filters after use, convert the captured CO2 into ethanol, and produce ethanol-based household items like cleaning solutions or disinfectants.&nbsp;It was Barile’s deep expertise as an electrochemist that helped the team decide that although the filters would have been feasible and economical, they could think bigger. After joining the RFA in 2024, the company went so far as to say that its technology produced in Barile’s lab held the potential to revolutionize ethanol production.Barile has an extensive background and list of accomplishments in his field. He has earned multiple awards from the National Science Foundation. At the University of Nevada Reno, he operates the Barile Laboratory to study electrochemistry, inorganic chemistry and materials used to solve energy conversion, storage and efficiency.&nbsp;In 2021, prior to the formation of Nataqua, Barile’s lab was working to create catalysts suitable for CO2-to-ethanol conversions along with the creation of an electrolyzer prototype. Much of that work has been translated to Nataqua.&nbsp;The lab created a vessel to push unfavorable reactions to completion. Through customization, the team added a gas chromatograph to the unit to identify and measure the products (gases like methylene or ethanol) generated during the process. Using polymer modified metal electrodes, the vessel and catalysts from the lab, they were able to make ethanol from CO2.&nbsp;By designing catalysts with different structures, the lab team learned they could control how reactions happened and what fuel could be made. Coating the catalyst with a fluoropolymer was the key. To go fully commercial, the lab team believed they needed a CO2 capture unit to concentrate the gas directly from the air. The electrodes in the vessel also needed to be more robust to handle large quantities of gas.Practical and Economical&nbsp; Motey believes that Barile’s expertise combined with his own background will help the company make it from startup to commercial success. Through his finance and innovation background, Motey is focused on setting realistic milestones and identifying clear next steps. “Too often, startups chase grand visions without practical roadmaps or real market understandings,” he says. “Such an approach can distort reality, allowing impractical ideas to gain undue popularity while more practical, efficient solutions are overlooked.”&nbsp;The Nataqua team has already learned a great deal from the ethanol industry. Producers are practical, economically minded and savvy, Motey says. “Ethanol operations aren’t theoretical—every change, every new technology must clearly simplify operations or directly boost profitability.”&nbsp;Plus, Nataqua knows producers deal daily with tight margins, volatile commodity markets, regulatory complexities and community expectations. No technology, Motey explains, gains traction unless it clearly cuts costs, enhances efficiency or increases profitability in a straightforward way. “When initially pitching Nataqua to investors outside the Midwest, it quickly became clear they didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of the ethanol industry or appreciate the potential of biobased chemical innovations,” Motey says.&nbsp;When Nataqua joined RFA, President Geoff Cooper called the company’s technology “exciting,” adding that it holds great promise for reducing carbon intensity and enhancing operational efficiency.&nbsp;Motey says the ethanol industry has been welcoming. In the future, he hopes to work with producers or industry partners to run tests and pilot its electrolysis reactor and catalyst technology. Anything from practical feedback to letters of interest to simple expressions of support would help the team on its path to commercialization, he says.&nbsp;“Converting CO2 into ethanol on-site offers a tangible path toward genuine carbon negativity, energy independence and economic growth,” Motey says. “We strongly believe this is an innovation everyone can proudly support.” Author: Luke Geiver&nbsp; writer@bbiinternational.com&nbsp;

2025-05-01 - A New Twist on Existing Tech (Ethanol Producer Magazine)

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Startup Nataqua hopes to help ethanol producers turn captured carbon dioxide into more on-site ethanol capacity. 

A New Twist on Existing Tech

A New Twist on Existing Tech

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