Media Release - For Immediate Release
June 7 2010
Researcher Receives Funding for Alternative Carbon Capture Technology
Dr. Jason Clyburne said new funding from GreenCentre Canada will allow him to accelerate work on "greener" carbon capture technology. |
A Saint Mary’s University researcher who has developed new compounds for removing carbon dioxide from industrial gas emissions has been awarded $25,000 in Proof of Principle funding from a federal centre focused on commercializing "green technologies" developed by academics.
The GreenCentre Canada grant will enable Saint Mary's Chemistry Professor Dr. Jason Clyburne ’s to further develop his “ionic liquids,” which have shown promise for the safe and efficient removal of toxins and environmentally hazardous substances from the gaseous emissions from industrial processes such as burning coal.
These specialized compounds can trap CO2 from waste streams using much less energy than that used by traditional scrubbing technologies. The CO2 can then be separated from the ionic liquid and stored, allowing the ionic liquid to be recycled to remove additional CO2 from the waste stream.
The liquids may one day provide an alternative to the scrubbers now in place on most coal-fired power plants.
Dr. Clyburne, who is also a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Studies and Materials, identifies such environment-related problems to be among the key research areas where solutions are based in fundamental chemical research.
Saint Mary’s University has recently established The Maritimes Centre for Green Chemistry, which aims to incorporate undergraduate research experience in Green discovery science.
With the GreenCentre funding, Dr. Clyburne’s ongoing research includes examining the long-term ability of these compounds, improving gas selectivity, and developing methods to produce these compounds in sufficient quantities to be used in large-scale CO2 removal processes.
“With the assistance of our Industry Liaison Office, we have recently been awarded a second Proof of Concept fund via Springboard Atlantic,” says Dr. Clyburne. ”Together these funds will enable us to accelerate research in this area through to the benchmarking phase of development.”
“These grants help researchers continue basic research and testing of technologies with strong commercial potential – potential that they would not otherwise be able to explore,” says Dr. Rui Resendes, Executive Director of GreenCentre Canada.
This is the third POP grant awarded recently by GreenCentre Canada to Green Chemistry researchers, part of an ongoing program by the national commercialization centre to support promising early stage discoveries. The centre expects to award up to 30 such grants each year.
About GreenCentre Canada:
GreenCentre Canada is a national Centre of Excellence for developing, de-risking and commercializing early-stage Green Chemistry discoveries generated by academic researchers and industry. GreenCentre Canada is dedicated to developing environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical and manufacturing practices. It is governed and operated with the assistance of industry members from across the chemical value chain. The centre is located at the Innovation Park at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
For information on GreenCentre Canada:
Mary Anne Beaudette
Director, Communications
GreenCentre Canada
P: 613. 533. 6000 xt 78238
E: Maryanne.beaudette@greencentrecanada.com
www.greencentrecanada.com
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For More Information:
Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail: steve.proctor@smu.ca
www.smu.ca
This page last modified Monday, 10-Jan-2011 15:35:40 AST