Taster lecture: Biomass and Carbon Capture and Storage: aiming for a negative-emissions future
Taster lecture: Biomass and Carbon Capture and Storage: aiming for a negative-emissions future
17 Jun 2020, 10:00 – 11:00
Abstract:
Could biomass slow the rate of global warming? It is already widely considered as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuel, but how far can we go?
Since the industrial revolution, the increasing use of fossil fuels has released excess CO2 in the atmosphere, causing the well-known dramatic effects on the environment. What if we could remove some of this excess CO2?
Biomass is plant-based waste material e.g agricultural waste, wood pellets, but also paper and cardboard.
Plants growth represents a natural carbon capture process. They adsorb CO2 directly from the atmosphere and convert it to glucose, an incredible source of energy. Biomass can be treated to release this energy. One of the by-products is CO2, the same CO2 previously extracted by the plant from the atmosphere.
So, what happened if we could capture that CO2 and store it?
We might be able to reduce the net amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, therefore potentially achieving negative-emissions.
This lecture will explore the role of biomass with carbon capture in tackling environmental issues, the potential, the state of the art and, of course, the challenges.
Presented by:
Dr Elena Catalanotti, Post Doctoral Research Assistant (PDRA)
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[[{"fid":"5071","view_mode":"non_responsive","fields":{"format":"non_responsive","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Dr Elena Catalanotti","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"non_responsive","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Dr Elena Catalanotti","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_float_left_right[und]":"left","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"attributes":{"height":"140","width":"140","class":"media-element file-non-responsive"}}]]With a background in Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Engineering, supported by a Mary Curie Fellowship, my interest has always focused on natural resources and low carbon impact. My areas of work have shifted from biofuels combustion for aviation applications, to techno-economic assessments of coal and biomass-fired power plants with carbon capture facilities. After a long break of 6 years, I returned to research with a Daphne Jackson Fellowship, working on techno-economic assessments of biomass gasification with carbon capture and syngas applications.
Further information
Ticketing
Open
Cost
Free
Open to
All
Availability
Yes
