A Finnish startup is creating beverages from carbon dioxide emitted during alcohol production, and attempting to decarbonize the alcohol business.

The process of making alcohol is thought to be carbon-intensive. It is not only dependent on the production of basic materials like potatoes, wheat, and beets, but it also generates a significant amount of nearly pure CO2 during the fermentation process.

What if the manufacture of alcohol was separated from agriculture and the CO2 emissions were used to create a new type of alcohol that was “made from air”? According to start-up Aircohol, its closed carbon loop technology may cut the carbon footprint of beverages by 50%.

No CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere

It is not a novel concept to extract carbon dioxide from the fermentation of alcohol. Some brewers and distilleries have installed carbon capture machines so they may recycle that CO2 in their own manufacturing processes. For example, they can utilize it to remove oxygen from bottles and cans during the packing process or to stabilize the carbonation in beer.

However, this technique is still not very popular. Furthermore, because there is currently no application for or commercial justification for capturing 100% of the CO2 released during fermentation, brewers and distilleries that do install capturing equipment frequently do not do so.

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SOURCE: Foodnavigator
PHOTO CREDIT: Aircohol