Article adapted from the original source: RIPCO2: Converting CO₂ into a resource using inkjet printing and light — HES-SO Valais-Wallis (June 23, 2026)
Authors/organizations: Associate Professor HES Mathieu Soutrenon (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), Wanderson Oliveira da Silva, Gioele Balestra, Paul Grandgeorge, Stéphane Audriaz, Muriel Mauron (iPrint Institute, HEIA Fribourg), with the support of HES-SO.
Rights: © HES-SO Valais-Wallis, reproduction for information and monitoring purposes authorized with citation of the source.
Introduction
The valorization of captured CO₂ represents a major challenge for the ecological transition and the chemical industry. The RIPCO2 project, led by HES-SO Valais-Wallis and the iPrint institute in Fribourg, offers a disruptive breakthrough: transforming CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO) using a technology combining inkjet printing and light. This innovation opens new perspectives for green chemistry and local carbon valorization.
A central challenge: what to do with captured CO₂?
Carbon capture is essential in climate strategies, but the question of its utilization remained a bottleneck. RIPCO2 addresses this challenge by converting CO₂ into an industrial resource, through collaboration between the Industrial Systems Institute of HES-SO Valais-Wallis and the iPrint institute of the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg.
An unprecedented technological process
The innovation is based on inkjet printing of metallic precursors, followed by instantaneous transformation into nickel nanoparticles via a xenon flash lamp. “Instead of making nanoparticles with multi-step processes, we print, we flash the metallic precursors with our lamp, and we obtain a nanoparticle,” explains Professor Mathieu Soutrenon. This process radically simplifies the production of catalysts for CO₂ conversion.
Industrial advantages and applications
The process stands out for its speed (a few seconds), low energy consumption, sustainability (use of nickel, an abundant metal), and its capacity to be industrialized on a large scale (continuous roll-to-roll production). The CO produced serves as a key intermediate in green chemistry, particularly for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, synthetic fuels, and bio-based molecules.
Toward industrialization and impact for WasteOlas
After a laboratory development phase, RIPCO2 now aims for scale-up with a stack system, multiplying CO production. For WasteOlas, this advancement validates the strategy of local CO₂ valorization (CCU): “CO₂ is not waste, it is a resource.” The Swiss ecosystem is moving in the same direction, confirming the market opportunity for green chemistry and synthetic fuels.
Conclusion
The RIPCO2 project illustrates the growing maturity of carbon valorization technologies and reinforces WasteOlas’s strategic positioning. Swiss innovation in converting CO₂ into high-value molecules paves the way for sustainable and competitive industrial solutions.