Team Australia comes up with solid plan for CO2 mitigation

-Dr. Richa Bobade

As per the US EPA report, emissions in 2019 were 6558 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The current estimations of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming suggest the need to develop net carbon zero technology. Hence innovation is needed across industries to help combat emissions and decarbonize their processes. Universities and research centers are the hub for developing new ideas and innovations to address industry related issues. Australia based researcher, Dr. Ken Chiang from RMIT University has suggested that although there are technologies that appear to be at experimental level and posing risk factors today but with proper university-industry collaborations, these processes can be de-risked.

Current technology for carbon capture and storage (CSS) largely focuses on compressing the gas into liquid and then injecting it underground. This is a physical process that transfers CO2 from one medium to another. In contrast to the traditional process, the Australian researchers have come up with a new strategy which chemically converts CO2 into solid carbon. This method avoids accidental carbon release in the atmosphere and locks it away securely and indefinitely.

The researchers from RMIT University believe their technology is a potential game-changer for steel and concrete manufacturing, which are fuelling climate change. Co-lead researcher Associate Professor Torben Daeneke has described the process and said “The thermal chemistry methods involved in this technology are widely used by industry, but our specific approach is the first of its kind. The “bubble column” method starts with liquid metal being heated to about 100-120 °C. Carbon dioxide is injected into the liquid metal, with the gas bubbles rising up just like bubbles in a champagne glass. As the bubbles move through the liquid metal, the gas molecule splits up to form flakes of solid carbon, with the reaction taking just a split second. It is the extraordinary speed of the chemical reaction we have achieved that makes our technology commercially viable, where so many alternative approaches have struggled.”

The technology can be easily scaled up and can break down CO2 to carbon in an instant helping industries and governments to deliver on their climate commitments. The team is also investigating potential applications for the converted (solid) carbon, including in construction materials. Daeneke said “Ideally the carbon we make could be turned into a value-added product, contributing to the circular economy and enabling the CCS technology to pay for itself over time.” With many dedicated scientists and engineers’ worldwide working on this challenge, there is great scope for the emergence of smart, practical solutions that can make a significant impact.

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(Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/decarbonization-tech-converts-carbon-dioxide-solid-carbon/)

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Dr Smita Chaturvedi
Smita is an experimental condensed matter physicist. The quest for multifunctional materials motivates her. Smita finished her PhD from RDVV Jabalpur and BARC Mumbai in the year 2002 and worked as a research associate in IIT Mumbai and Oakland University, Michigan. Smita was awarded as a Fulbright Nehru Academic and Professional excellence fellow in 2018-19. Smita holds more than a decade of research and teaching experience. She possesses good knowledge about education system and research opportunities in India as well as abroad. Music and gardening are her mindful meditations.
Dr. Priyadarshini Karve
Dr Priyadarshini Karve has worked in the areas of household energy, decentralised waste-to-fuel technologies, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable and climate-ready urbanisation, etc. She runs her own social green enterprise Samuchit Enviro Tech in Pune, focused on enabling access to sustainable products and services. She is also a co-founder of OrjaBox, a startup promoting solar thermal technologies. Dr Karve is a Founder Member of Clean Energy Access Network (CLEAN - a multi-state society of decentralised renewable energy practitioners and entrepreneurs) and Cleaner Cooking Coalition (CCC - an international organisation focused on promoting user-centric cooking energy technologies that are good for health as well as climate). She is also the National Convener of Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC - focused on climate justice issues and working to bring people's voices in policy choices). Her work has been recognised by several national and international awards and honours.
Sanjay Khare
Sanjay Khare ,after his graduation in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, in 1986 has been associated with major Japanese & European Automotive OEMs in Indian Subcontinent for 35 years . Widely travelled across Europe & Asia , he has held positions across diverse functions of Automotive Corporations.
In his current role as Board Member and Vice President at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India , he is Chief Sustainability Catalyst to guide actions at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India along with the sister brands Audi, Porsche & Lamborghini.
He leads an active Climate Resilience program where the automotive major in India has already achieved Zero Waste to Landfill, Water Positive & Zero liquid Discharge Certification, Zero Accidents , targeting an 18.5 MW of installed Roof Top Solar plant at a single Automotive site in India in 2021 and fully Carbon Neutral Production by 2025.
Sanjay has done his Executive MBA from Management development Institute ,Gurgaon specialising in Strategy & Marketing . He has active interests in driving Cultural Change, Competency building , Human Motivation topics while adopting/ innovating the technological advancements and total quality revolution.He is also a Qualified Independent Director registered with Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India. An active speaker on Automotive & Sustainability topics on National & International forums.
In personal life, he is an Endurance Cyclist having participated in many adventure ride expeditions . He also spends his time in developing mastery on Indian Classical Music instrument Sitar.