At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Dr. Zili Wu and his colleagues are working on innovative strategies to combat climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and revolutionizing the chemical industry's reliance on fossil fuels. One approach involves converting captured CO2 into high-value chemicals and fuels by designing enhanced catalysts to drive efficient reactions while minimizing energy consumption. Another strategy focuses on electrifying chemical processes in the American industry, aiming to cut CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuel-based heating with electrically driven methods like Joule heating and mechanocatalysis. Dr. Wu's team has made significant progress in catalytic research, particularly in enhancing the reaction between hydrogen and CO2 to produce methanol efficiently. By chemically tuning negative ions in the support material, they achieved a threefold increase in methanol production compared to traditional catalysts. Their findings were published in a prestigious scientific journal, highlighting the potential of their oxyhydride catalyst. Furthermore, the team is collaborating with various institutions to explore electrification methods for sustainable industrial production. By combining modeling and experimentation, they aim to overcome challenges in transitioning to electrically driven processes. Through partnerships with universities and research centers, the ORNL team is paving the way for a greener and more efficient future in the energy and chemical sectors. Dr. Wu emphasizes the importance of continued research and development to scale up these innovative processes for widespread adoption and significant carbon reduction.