A group of N.C. A&T scientists who theorize that curbing carbon emissions won't be enough to avoid a climate disaster has received a $1.8 million federal grant to study novel ways to capture carbon dioxide from the air.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was awarded nearly $1.8 million from the Department of Energy to research the idea as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air continues to increase each year, intensifying the greenhouse effect that is warming the planet.
Direct Air Capture (DAC) is an expanding field in decarbonization and a key facet of the plan to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Department of Energy awarded three entities – A&T, Oregon State and the Lawrence Berkeley Lab – a total of $6.6 million to research ways to capture CO2 that can then be used to convert into other needed chemicals.
Debasish Kuila, professor in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Science and Technology (COST), is the principal investigator.
“Curbing carbon emissions and carbon sequestration alone will not be enough to combat the climate crisis,” Kuila said. “If we are successful, this will lead to technology that can capture CO2 which can help bring the concentration of carbon (dioxide) in the air down.”
Kulia is partnering with Jianzhong Lou from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Aleksandrs Prokofjevs from the Department of Chemistry.
DOE awarded a total of $94 million to seven universities and two national labs for research projects that could support breakthroughs in understanding how to overcome the limitations of currently available technologies for direct removal of carbon dioxide from the air.
“Finding ways to remove and store carbon directly from the air is an absolute necessity in our fight against the climate crisis,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This investment in carbon capture technology research through universities and DOE laboratories will position America as a leader in this growing field, create good-paying jobs, and help make our carbon-free future a reality.”
