- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
A California-based biotechnology startup has officially launched the world’s first commercially available butter made entirely from carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen, eliminating the need for traditional agriculture or animal farming. Savor, backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates through his Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, announced the commercial release of its animal- and plant-free butter after three years of development.
The revolutionary product uses a proprietary thermochemical process that transforms carbon dioxide captured from the air, hydrogen from water, and methane into fat molecules chemically identical to those found in dairy butter. According to the company, the process creates fatty acids by heating these gases under controlled temperature and pressure conditions, then combining them with glycerol to form triglycerides.
Failing to parse this one; could I ask what did I miss in the article?
they aren’t using pure carbon, but compounds. the title suggests otherwise
They focused on the CO2 and the hydrogen from the water, but the underlying feedstock for this synthetic hydrocarbon product is actually the Methane (from natural gas) that they quickly glossed over.
Even the blurb in the description contains all the reference you need.
I see the methane; but it comes right after ‘pulling carbon out of the air’. Still, appreciate being held to a standard I guess.