Australian Scientists Develop Clean Fuel from Plastic Waste Using Solar Power

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CANBERRA – With the continuous advancement of science, energy sources can now come from anywhere. The latest development is that plastic waste can now be processed into fuel with the help of sunlight.

Actually, processing plastic waste into fuel is not a new concept. Indonesia has even managed to convert plastic waste into diesel. However, the process involves heating with machines at high temperatures of 300 to 900 degrees Celsius.

Australian scientists are developing solar-powered technology to transform plastic waste into clean fuel. As revealed in a study in Australia on Wednesday (29/4/2026), this technology offers a potential solution to the challenges of pollution and energy.

The research explores how a sunlight-driven process can convert discarded plastics into hydrogen, syngas, and other industrial chemicals. This paves the way for a more sustainable circular economy, according to a statement from the University of Adelaide in Australia, quoted by Xinhua.

Global plastic production exceeds 460 million tonnes annually, with large volumes leaking into the environment. The research highlights how carbon- and hydrogen-rich plastics can be repurposed as an untapped resource rather than waste.

The process is known as solar-driven photoreforming. It uses light-activated photocatalysts to break down plastics at relatively low temperatures.

This reaction can produce hydrogen, a clean fuel with zero emissions at the point of use, as well as other valuable chemicals used in industry, according to the study published in Chem Catalysis.

Compared to conventional water-based hydrogen production, plastic photoreforming is more energy-efficient because plastics are easier to oxidise and potentially easier to scale up, the researchers said.

However, they warn that significant challenges remain, including the complexity of mixed plastic waste, catalyst durability, and energy-intensive purification steps.

“With ongoing innovation, we believe solar-powered plastic-to-fuel technology can play a key role in building a sustainable, low-carbon future,” said Lu Xiao, a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide who led the research.