We humans are determined to hold onto our everyday comforts. This means consuming energy, whereas for the climate it’s best to consume as little energy as possible. The DOCS project takes techniques that have been used for decades in the energy world and applies them to the question of how we can bring our CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere back down to earth. So it’s a very interesting project that links the energy and climate problems in a positive way.
Why do we need projects like this to contribute to a better world?
Energy and the climate are inextricably linked: as things currently stand, more energy consumption means higher CO₂ emissions and a warming climate. Projects such as DOCS are trying to reduce CO₂ emissions by finding ways to store that CO₂ before it reaches the atmosphere and warms the climate. One conclusion of the Climate Change Conference in December 2021 was that 14% of CO₂ emissions have to be collected through CO₂ storage. That’s a significant proportion, and DOCS can contribute to this effort.
How do you intend to interest or involve the business sector?
The techniques used in the DOCS project—both the data needed to identify suitable fields and the technologies—come from industry itself. The students reuse the data collected by companies, they just interpret it differently. And since the business sector is responsible for a significant proportion of CO₂ emissions worldwide, a technology such as CO₂ storage is bound to interest them. If a company’s CO₂ emissions can be safely channelled away from the atmosphere, the company will be able to consume more energy. That being said, CO₂ storage alone won’t prevent global warming. Companies will still have to invest in more sustainable technologies to further limit emissions.
