Nissan has a new tech that helps curb climate change

Nissan’s take on electrification has been made clear as it wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. One of the early efforts the car brand made to help curb climate change is the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, finding success as the best-selling electric vehicle (EV) for many years.

Photon upconversion (UC) solid material

Now, the Japanese marque has a new technology that will help it with its carbon neutrality goal. No, it doesn’t involve the LEAF, but rather the EV’s natural namesake. In collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has developed photon upconversion (UC) solid materials which improve the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis.

Through artificial photosynthesis, water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. The latter then reacts with carbon dioxide (CO₂) to produce compounds, such as olefins, to make resins used in vehicle assembly. That said, Nissan can make good use of CO₂ as raw material, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.

Artificial photosynthesis mimics the way plants process sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen

Some of the expected advantages of this technology include a lighter car which improves fuel efficiency, saves costs, and of course, helps curb climate change. Nissan said that the UC solid materials help reduce dependence on fossil fuels in manufacturing resins and other products.

But compared to a typical plant leaf, the conversion of the newly-developed technology is highly efficient (up to approximately 30 percent of the theoretical limit of UC), even under weak sunlight. Additionally, the new UC materials are stable solids that are still usable even in the presence of oxygen.

Nissan is taking every step in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050

As part of the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, Nissan aims to go full electric in key markets by 2030. This will be made possible through the Nissan Ambition 2030 plan, its long-term vision for accelerating efforts to fight climate change. This consists of a 2-trillion yen (more than Php 901.6 billion) investment in EV development, which aims to introduce 23 new electrified models by 2030.

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