Converting CO2 To Energy – Bjork Kristjansdottir, Carbon Recycling International
Release Date: 11/19/2024
Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
“I believe in the power of people wishing to volunteer for initiatives rather than assignment of duties and responsibilities and having people feel as though it's a chore… (They) serve as champions in their areas to educate their fellow peers on what it means to be sustainable, what they can do that's in their power to contribute to the outcomes….And then as we started to become more mature…we formed structured committees, we leveraged those champions on the units to participate. We made it enjoyable in terms of participating. We actually have contests… (I)t just breeds excitement...
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Using Software, AI To Reduce CO2 & Increase Resilience – Lydia Walpole & Chris Bradshaw of Bentley Systems “For example, if we have a concrete pile, we can change the parameters and use AI to suggest actually a more optimal design with regards to how much concrete is going to be used. So we quite often, as engineers, we are risk averse. So sometimes you can over design to make sure consequences in construction and infrastructure are real. We do need to be precise, but we can use AI to ensure that we have a reduced amount of carbon and concrete in that pile, but still meeting...
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“There is value in being able to articulate the qualitative value of sustainability…And yes, obviously revenues can be attached to that, but obviously just the opportunity to open up new markets more broadly and innovate…There's the risk and compliance component, which tend to be more easy to actually quantify. And then there's the brand reputation…So you can make the case qualitatively in any of those three areas…There's this movement from morality to materiality now that CFOs are involved…We actually take that all the way to the financial statements, to the balance sheet, to the...
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“What is a microgrid?...There's a lot of challenges that folks are dealing with around the grid infrastructure, with weather related challenges and load growth and other elements. And so what a microgrid does is help those customers become not only consumers of energy, but also producers of energy. So we like to call that a prosumer….So a microgrid helps to create that bridge between the building and the big grid…So if the grid's no longer there (e.g., an outage), they can act independently of the grid. It also helps with deploying more renewables on their sites, as well as really...
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“Critical minerals and materials…are essential for key economic and national security technologies that help to fuel great sectors in the United States and around the world…We're at a very interesting point in the United States for critical minerals and materials because the US Geological Survey… just released their draft version of their newly updated critical minerals list…(But) they're very difficult to come by. And for a lot of these materials, they are mined as byproducts and co-products. They're used in incredibly low volumes, and so it's very difficult for companies to sort of...
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“1% for the planet…the way it works is that we have businesses who are our members, and they're actually supporting environmental partners at the level of 1% of revenues….You invest in the things that matter and the planet matters.…(to) drive impact at scale. And so, in terms of that scale, last year we certified US$100million of support going from these companies to environmental partners….When a company joins, they pay a dues fee to us, but then the rest of their 1%, they will give directly to environmental partners….And then at the end of each year, we certify that giving.” ...
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“(B)efore we're even thinking about AI, it's actually thinking about how are we using our technology effectively and is it part of our processes? Does it complicate things or does it simplify things? And the advice that I always give them is like, before you start bringing in new technology and new processes and having to train people and doing their job in a different way and adding complication first, look at what you're doing and…pair back the stuff that doesn't need to be there anymore. And then think about technology.” Nikki Greenberg on Electric Ladies Podcast Cities are in...
info_outline“Carbon Recycling International was founded around the idea of taking something which was waste, like CO2 and turning it into some valuable product…(Today they are) converting CO2 into sustainable methanol…(W)e have technology, which takes CO2 as a waste, and it takes hydrogen and turns it into methanol…and it is used today both like into chemicals. So, the chemical sector is a big consumer of methanol, which is a very large known product in the world today. …(and into) a sustainable fuel...playing a pretty big role in the energy transition.” Bjork Kristjansdottir on Electric Ladies Podcast
One of the creative technologies developed today to both address the climate crisis and accelerate the energy transition is carbon recycling. What is it? Essentially, it’s converting CO2 into energy or chemicals.
Listen to Bjork Kristjansdottir, COO/CFO of Carbon Recycling International in Iceland explain how it works and how it’s used in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson.
You’ll hear about:
- How they “recycle carbon” – from capture to converting it to how it’s used.
- How the chemicals made from carbon recycling are used.
- Why methanol is so important in the energy transition and how they make it
- How they are making sustainable aviation fuel from carbon recycling
- Plus, insightful career advice, such as…
“My advice is first, like it's around decisions. So, we need to make decisions. Postponing making decisions puts you at the risk things will just happen to you.…And remember that, when we do make those decision in our career, it is always based on the best information available at the time. Things may change, it doesn't make it a wrong decision.. (and) You don't need to learn and be the best at everything yourself. What you need to do is to learn how to listen and harvest all of the potential, all of the talent around you… get comfortable with asking the right questions.” Bjork Kristjansdottir on Electric Ladies Podcast
Read Joan’s Forbes articles here too.
You'll also like:
- Inna Braverman, Founder/CEO of Eco Wave Power, on how wave power works and her powerful personal story that reflects today’s geopolitical dynamics.
- Lisa Jacobson (BCSE) & Tara Narayanan (BNEF), on their 2024 Energy Factbook, by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Bloomberg New Energy Finance
- Melissa Lott, Ph.D., Director of Research at the Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and the lead scientists in the PBS/NOVA documentary “Chasing Carbon Zero.”
- Vanessa Chan, Ph.D., Chief Commercialization Officer of the Department of Energy and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions, on the Inflation Reduction Act and the transition to clean energy.
- Paula Glover, President, The Alliance to Save Energy, focused on energy efficiency
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