Carbon Cycle 2.0 is a Berkeley Lab vision for a global low-carbon energy system and an initiative to accelerate discovery and innovation. Each research piece is necessary to complete the transformation of the carbon cycle to enable a sustainable energy future and a habitable, healthy planet. Berkeley Lab researchers are working together to minimize and avoid carbon emissions in our existing energy infrastructure through research in combustion, carbon capture and storage, biofuels, and artificial photosynthesis. Berkeley Lab also continues to be a leader in energy solutions to avoid carbon emissions, with pioneering expertise in energy efficiency, solar photovoltaic, and energy storage research. We are also working to deliver solutions for the developing world, and to integrate our world-class capabilities in climate modeling and energy analysis with our basic research, to pool our knowledge in order to speed and scale solutions for a clean energy future.

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Carbon Cycle 2.0 Discovery and innovation for a clean energy future Carbon Cycle 2.0 refers to a new interaction between humanity and Earth’s carbon cycle. Each year, humans add more than 9 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere, mostly from the combustion of fossil fuels to produce energy. This carbon is changing conditions within Earth’s atmosphere and oceans in ways that disrupt the climate, and terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Reinventing the global energy system to avoid carbon emissions will require scientific and technical breakthroughs and collaboration across diverse disciplines. By connecting our researchers in basic energy sciences with our experts in energy analysis, climate modeling, and the developing world, we aim to connect bench-top science with global needs and realities, to build a more balanced global carbon cycle.

“We have to find a way where humanity’s carbon cycle is as balanced as nature’s. I am confident that Berkeley Lab’s talented scientists and operations staff can organize with unique creativity around Carbon Cycle 2.0, and dramatically increase our positive impact on the world.” — Berkeley Lab Director Dr. Paul Alivisatos U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

ENERGY

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Using carbon-based fuels more wisely COMBUSTION

We design clean, ultra-efficient burners and use high-performance computers to model the complex dynamics of flames to improve the efficiency of fossil fuel and biofuel combustion.

CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

Because fossil fuels will remain in the energy supply until alternatives mature, we are developing new materials to capture CO2 and developing knowledge and understanding of geologic storage processes.

BIOFUELS

We are developing cost-effective processes to extract and ferment plant sugars into advanced biofuels .

ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

We are looking to the chemistry of photosynthesis for inspiration to convert sunlight into fuels, using earth-abundant and inexpensive materials — a potentially game-changing energy solution.

ENERGY ANALYSIS

Our energy analysis expertise coupled with our world-class basic energy research capability accelerates the speed and accuracy with which our discoveries become practical solutions for the world’s energy needs.

Decoupling energy from the carbon cycle ENERGY EFFICIENCY

We are developing technologies, systems, and product standards to drive the efficient use of energy in buildings and infrastructure.

PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CELLS

We are exploring new materials and innovative device configurations to convert solar energy to electricity more efficiently and inexpensively.

ENERGY STORAGE

We are exploring next generation vehicle battery technologies for safe operation and higher capacity, as well as innovative gridscale energy storage.

SOLUTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD

Our efforts at creating technology solutions of the future will only truly make a difference in balancing Earth’s carbon cycle when those solutions are also available to and adapted for people in developing economies.

CLIMATE MODELING

Using some of the world’s most powerful highperformance computers to simulate Earth’s climate enables us to better understand how disruption of the natural carbon cycle will change our planet.