CCEP To Invest In Technology That Converts Air To Sugar

August 23, 2022 7:58 AM By Dayeeta Das

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CCEP To Invest In Technology That Converts Air To Sugar

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Bottling group Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has teamed up with the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) to develop scalable methods of converting captured CO₂ into sugar.

CCEP Ventures, the group's innovation investment platform, will initially support the Peidong Yang Research Group conduct further research on enabling the production of sugar from CO₂ on site and at an industrial level.

CCEP Innovation

This investment demonstrates the role CCEP hopes innovation can play in its journey to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The development of lab scale prototypes has the potential to make the generation of essential raw and packaging materials more sustainable in the long-term, CCEP noted.

Craig Twyford, head of CCEP Ventures, said, "At CCEP, we want to grow sustainably, producing beverages that people love while helping to build a better future for our business, communities and the planet.

"CCEP Ventures is helping us find solutions to industry challenges and provide funding to make these foundational technologies a reality. We’re excited to be involved in this project that could lead the industry in the development of transformational technology capable of converting CO₂ into more complex, usable goods."

CO2 Reductions

The technology also has the potential to reduce some of the largest CO₂ contributors in supply chains while saving material, transportation, and logistics costs.

Agricultural ingredients, including sugar, account for close to a quarter of CCEP’s carbon footprint.

The new technology could reduce emissions associated with sugar manufacturing processes and positively contribute to optimising land use.

In the longer-term, this technology has the potential to make the conversion of CO₂ into PET plastic more efficient by reducing the need for crude oil in the manufacturing process and significantly lowering costs, CCEP noted.

"Air to sugar conversion could significantly impact our ability to preserve the natural world. This is a bold scientific vision that would bring immediate environmental benefits, fundamentally transforming the production and distribution of goods across the world. We are pleased to be working with CCEP Ventures on research that could make a significant impact on our ability to create a more sustainable future," added Professor Peidong Yang, Peidong Yang Group at UCB.