February 2, 2019 – Skyhaven Systems was awarded a contract from the Department of Energy to develop a composite membrane for the production of carbon based fuels. Sustainable conversion of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added products is the subject of extensive research because of the ever-increasing global CO2-levels and environmental concerns. The electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction conducted in aqueous media is extremely appealing in terms of multiple merits, which include the use of the abundant and benign solvent water, the operation under ambient temperature and pressure conditions, and the implementation by applying an electric potential and therefore a means of storing excess renewable electricity off the grid. Considering the excessive emission of atmospheric CO2 caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, solar-driven CO2 reduction into higher energy chemicals such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, methanol or methane offers a promising approach to alleviate both global warming and global energy needs. Imperative to the economic operation of solar-driven cells that can process CO2 into chemicals is the development of efficient membrane separators. Toward this need, Skyhaven System is developing a new composite membrane that limits membane swelling, provides mechanical stability and strength, enhances proton conductivity, and lowers product permeability back through the membrane. With these membrane advances, CO2-to-chemicals electrochemical conversion processes can be moved closer to commercial viability.