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Xiangkun “Elvis” Cao - American, North America

2020 Winner | Scientist and entrepreneur | American

The sun is the ultimate inexhaustible power source for human civilization. We at C2X are passionate about utilizing solar energy to convert CO2 emissions into useful products. “C2X” means carbon to X, where X represents various possibilities. Our vision is to see CO2 as an opportunity rather than a liability. Our team has developed a highly efficient “artificial photosynthesis” process that transforms CO2 into alcohols, such as ethanol, which is a renewable fuel and can be used for producing hand sanitizer. Our reactor design is modular, scalable, and expandable. C2X has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) through the Young Changemakers on Sustainable WASH Solutions Programme. Our team aspires to use our CO2 conversion technology to kill two birds with one stone: combatting the COVID-19 pandemic while mitigating global climate change. By converting harmful emissions into solar commodities, we are enabling a circular carbon economy.

I am the co-founder of C2X, an initiative for turning CO2 emissions into sustainable solar commodities. My Ph.D. research at Cornell on scalable “artificial photosynthesis” was featured in the World Economic Forum’s white paper as an energy breakthrough of the past decade. I am a Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, Lindau Nobel Alumnus, BP Future Energy Leader, UN SDSN-Youth Local Pathways Fellow, and UNICEF Young Changemaker on Sustainable WASH Solutions. My work received accolades from the Clinton Foundation, the Link Foundation, and the Lemelson Foundation. I graduated from Cornell University and McGill University, with joint training at MIT.

Disclaimer: NOTE: This content was shared online for the 2019 cycle of the Young Champions of the Earth programme and has not been updated. This listing does not constitute any endorsement by nor status with the UN Environment Programme.

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