A team of academics from the University of Aberdeen has entered the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, a global competition that challenges teams to develop technologies to convert carbon dioxide into valuable products.
The NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, which is designed to address CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, offers a $20 million (USD) prize to the winners to help fund the development and commercialisation of their technologies.
The Aberdeen team - The Carbon Capture Machine – is developing Carbon Capture Machines (CCMs) that convert CO2 from flue gas into useful feedstock materials and products.
This technology will be put to the test in the Carbon XPRIZE, where the team will compete against 46 international competitors to claim the top prize.
Led by Dr Mohammed Imbabi from the University’s School of Engineering, core members of the team included Dr Claudia Fernandez Martin, lecturer in Chemical Engineering, Professor Fred Glasser, Chair in Chemistry, and Dr Zoe Morrison, senior lecturer in Management Studies at the University’s Business School.
Dr Imbabi said: “The world produces so much CO2 that we are now at risk of seriously damaging our planet, and one of the ways to remedy the situation is to develop and implement carbon capture and utilisation on an industrial scale.
“The University of Aberdeen is world-leading in this area of research, which has led to development of the concept of modular Carbon Capture Machines that capture CO2 from a variety of sources to produce solid carbonate feedstocks and thereafter into commercially viable products, such as cements and concretes.
“Unlike many other proposed carbon capture and utilisation techniques our technology isn’t capacity constrained and can capture CO2 from any emission source, meaning that it offers potential to be rolled out globally. We are all looking forward to putting this technology to the test in the Carbon XPRIZE competition.”
Jeremy Kilburn, Senior Vice-Principal at the University of Aberdeen, is the team’s Senior Management Champion. He said: “The University of Aberdeen is at the forefront of research in carbon capture and utilisation, and our team of world-class academics works across disciplines to develop new technologies that not only reduce the harm caused by CO2 emissions, but provide valuable products for everyday use.
“The Carbon XPRIZE is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our expertise in an area where the University is world-leading, and where there is potential to make a global impact in reducing harm to the environment and promoting sustainability. I am delighted that the University is participating in this international competition and I wish the team every success.”
Sponsorship opportunities are available for companies interested in supporting the Aberdeen team’s entry in the Carbon XPRIZE. For further details please email june.middleton@abdn.ac.uk