jcap's mission is to create the scientific foundation for a scalable technology that converts carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into renewable transportation fuels

The challenge facing the world today is the development of a sustainable energy economy that utilizes renewable sources, such as solar energy. This challenge can only be addressed though scientific and technological advances and discoveries.

The solar-driven fuel-generating technology harvests solar energy, the largest available resource among renewables, and stores it in chemical bonds. This process is known as artificial photosynthesis. The benefits of artificial photosynthesis are numerous and include increased energy independence and efficient means of storing and dispatching of solar energy. Supporting the development of the foundational science and core technologies required for solar-fuel generation is the first step toward an investment in a future sustainable energy industry.

JCAP is the Nation’s largest research program focused on artificial photosynthesis. The program’s first 5-year phase focused on solar hydrogen generation. JCAP began a 5-year renewal phase in October 2015 with a research program focused on solar carbon dioxide reduction to fuels.

JCAP is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (BES). The mission of BES is to support fundamental research on matter and energy at the level of electrons, atoms, and molecules in order to provide the foundations for new energy technologies and to support DOE missions in energy, environment, and national security.