‘Light’ plastic waste upcycling

Project Description

Ireland's Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) is pushing for a more sustainable future by promoting circular economy practices and increasing the use of zero-emission fuels like green hydrogen. To support these ambitious goals, we propose an innovative solution to harness light to convert plastic waste materials into upcycled chemicals while also as a byproduct producing green hydrogen at significantly higher rates than current methods allow. Our research focuses on advancing the efficiency of current technology using safe and sustainable materials. This has the potential to reduce hydrogen production costs, making them more competitive with those derived from fossil fuels, all while minimizing carbon emissions and increasing waste recycling rates. In essence, our proposed technology aims to contribute to the circular economy goals outlined in CAP23 by recycling waste materials like plastics, while also producing green energy. This initiative will further Ireland's advancements in upcycling and sustainable energy production.