August 29 – September 1, 2018

Climate Change Research Institute organized awareness and capacity building fourth Workshop on Carbon Capture and Utilization (ACBCCU 2018) in collaboration with Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management, Ahmedabad. The workshop titled as ‘Recent Advances in CO₂ Capture Technology and Its Sectoral Application’ sponsored by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India and was held from August 29 – September 1, 2018, at IIC Convention Center, New Delhi. The CO₂ issue is truly global and globally efforts are directed for achieving the goals of reducing the carbon footprint, increasing energy independence as also revenue generation from the utilized gas. India is a member of Mission Innovation (MI) and Carbon Capture Innovation Challenge is one of the seven areas of clean energy technologies where R&D investment is expected to double by 2020. With this in view DBT, Govt. of India agreed to join in. The workshop discussed ways to capture excess CO₂ in the atmosphere and its disposal away from the atmosphere with a focus on its utilization from Oil refineries and Agriculture sectors.

The Honorable Shri Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation inaugurated the workshop. On this occasion high level dignitaries and experts from Academia as well as Industry delivered lectures on how carbon capture can become on opportunity. Prof. D. P. Agrawal, Former Chairman UPSC and Chairman of GC presided over the Inaugural session and highlighted the importance of technology in economically and environmentally sustainable growth. Prof. Anjan Ray Director CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun delivered the Keynote Address. Dr. (Mrs.) Malti Goel, President of the Institute and Convener for ACBCCU – 2018 in the introductory remarks observed that the CO₂ being the main product of fossil fuel use, developing capabilities in CO₂ capture and goal oriented utilization in products of scarcity, can lead to immense benefits in the long-term. The CO₂ utilization is of relevance to industrial emissions, which contributes to about 30% of the CO₂ equivalent total global emissions.

The Workshop held 17 Lecture Sessions by the eminent subject experts in the four days capacity building programme. The ACBCCU-2018 created awareness and sensitized the researchers about challenges of CO₂ capture and utilization. Delegates had an opportunity to share very insightful and visionary Guest Lectures delivered by Dr. SSV Ramakumar, Director, IOCL R&D Center, Faridabad, Dr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director JNRDDC, Nagpur and Prof. P. S. Swathi , CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute, Bangalore among others. A Field Visit to R&D Centre of NTPC, NETRA in Greater Noida was organized coutesy NTPC for the delegates.  Shri Pankaj Batra, Chair Person, Central Electricity Authority chaired the ‘Round Table Discussion on CCU in Power sector – pros & cons and Issues in new environmental norms’, which was attended by panelists from Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, University of Calcutta, India Metrological Department and Mission Innovation among others.