The Centre for Energy Innovation of the University of Twente (UT) in Enschede, Netherlands, and the Research & Technology (R&T) arm of South Africa’s Sasol have agreed to collaborate on the development of technologies for the removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂).

This will be possible partly owing to Sasol R&T’s regional office in Enschede.

To realise the ambitions of the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels, there is a need to reduce CO₂ emissions, as well as reduce atmospheric CO₂, since the gas is considered to be the main driver of climate change.

The UT is developing a mission-driven programme that focuses on negative emission technologies. These technologies recover CO₂ that is present in the atmosphere as a result of past emission.

The science and technology under development seeks rapid translation towards real-life application.

“We develop energy efficient technology for the removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere. Part of it will be converted into products with a very long lifetime to secure CO₂ sequestration.

“Another part will be used to convert CO₂ into circular chemicals, fuels and polymers. We believe the atmosphere is the carbon source of the post fossil era,” UT Centre for Energy Innovation director Jos Keurentjes said on October 6.

Sasol will become an active partner of the programme, providing guidance to projects in the programme by performing technology and engineering desk studies and pilot testing.

“Sasol is committed to its ambitious greenhouse-gas reduction roadmap to reduce its environmental footprint. The cooperation with the Centre of Energy Innovation will help us in realising our goals and strengthen the development of technology for sustainable chemicals production,” Sasol R&T senior VP Thembakazi Mali explained.

The application domain resides in reducing industrial emissions, sustainable CO­­₂ use and storage, as well as in negative emission technologies by direct air capture.

The partners believe their collaboration will enable faster innovation than using a sequential approach, thereby providing a strong basis for bringing climate ambitions within reach.