UT Austin researchers are at the forefront of one of the most promising, and vexing, technological breakthroughs: carbon capture and storage (CCS). The promise comes from the understanding that CCS works; the conundrum is the challenge of making commercial-scale implementation of the technology economical. UT researchers are involved in virtually every aspect of the CCS process chain – capturing the CO2 before it exits the smokestack of a power plant or industrial facility; transporting it from the site; and pumping it underground into an aquifer or geological formation and out of harm’s way. Sue Hovorka, a senior research scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology, works on the storage side, also known as carbon sequestration, to make CO2 storage safe and effective. Chemical Engineering Prof. Gary Rochelle’s expertise is in amine scrubbing, which separates the CO2 from the flue gas of coal- and gas-fired power plants. The two experts are at the forefront of CCS research, working with industry partners to lower costs and perfect CCS methods, with the goal of reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and combating climate change. Read more.
