Experts discuss carbon capture & utilisation solutions to combat climate change

Experts from India and the US discussed the challenges and opportunities to combat climate change through technology-led carbon capture and utilisation solutions.
Carbon capture is capturing carbon dioxide before it enters the atmosphere, transporting it, and storing it for centuries or millennia.

The discussions were held at the Indo-US Scoping Workshop on Carbon Capture on Friday, jointly organised by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the United States Department of Energy.

DST Secretary S Chandrasekhar said that at the recently concluded COP-26 in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought forth the country’s remarkable performance as well as ambitions to meet the climate goals despite being one of the fastest growing economy in the world.

“The PM has given a mandate for all of us to become a net-zero emissions nation by the year 2070,” Chandrasekhar highlighted in his opening remarks.
“Under a strict climatic regime, we can realise the identification and adoption of a right balance of portfolio of emission curtailment technologies,” he said.
Chandrashekhar said carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) is among such key pathways to reduce emissions while continuing to develop sustainably at an unprecedented pace. CCUS clearly aligns with five of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He briefed the gathering about the recent initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology towards technology-led RD&D in the area of CCUS.
He informed that India became part of the transnational multilateral platforms such as Mission Innovation and Accelerating CCUS Technologies (ACT) along with other member countries, including the US, for collaborative RD&D in the area of CCUS.

He further added that the DST and the US Department of Energy are jointly organising these series of Indo-US Scoping Workshops on carbon capture, utilisation and storage, scheduled to be held from January 21 to February 25, for exploring the complementary strengths and gaps in the area of CCUS between the two countries and evolve collaborative technology-led endeavours for together working towards achieving net Zero Carbon goals.

Jennifer Wilcox, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), US Department of Energy, said that India is a valuable partner in developing new technologies to help in combating climate and clean energy goals.

Wilcox gave an overview of the US initiatives regarding clean energy and said it is a global crisis and requires a global response in clean energy technologies and an international partnership to achieve carbon net-zero status. She hoped that this workshop would provide an opportunity to broaden and deepen collaborations and engagements.