Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D), and leading British climate tech firm Levidian, today announced the signing of a pioneering research partnership to help further the UAE’s decarbonisation efforts by exploring carbon capture from gas flaring and future applications for graphene.
An agreement was signed at Khalifa University Main Campus in Abu Dhabi by Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, and by John Hartley, Chief Executive Officer, Levidian. Professor Hassan Arafat, Senior Director, RIC2D, senior officials, and representatives from Khalifa University and Levidian were present at the ceremony.
According to the agreement, the two partners will work together to explore the effectiveness of Levidian’s patented LOOP technology in capturing carbon from different gas types, including flare gas from oil and gas facilities. Khalifa University’s RIC2D will then spearhead research into the applications of graphe
ne produced as part of the process, which also creates clean hydrogen.
Prof. Hassan Arafat, Senior Director, RIC2D at Khalifa University, said, ‘We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Levidian and leverage their innovative LOOP technology to contribute to the UAE’s decarbonisation efforts. This collaboration will enable the RIC2D team to continue to spearhead research into the applications of graphene produced as part of the process, also creating clean hydrogen. By driving scientific development, this collaboration has all the hallmarks of successfully driving innovation in graphene and 2D materials as well as facilitating commercialisation.’
John Hartley, CEO of Levidian, said, ‘We are delighted to be working with Khalifa University as the region’s leading academic institution as we continue to drive forward our technology and get more LOOPs out into the field.’
Khalifa University’s RIC2D has entered into multiple partnerships to further drive innovation identifying opportunities in advance
d materials innovation. It also seeks to combine expertise, resources, and research capabilities towards accelerating the development and commercialisation of graphene-based technologies. It collaborates with stakeholders in organising symposiums to explore the transformative potential of 2D materials.
Levidian announced earlier this year plans to invest around US$100 million in the UAE as part of the establishment of a new delivery centre, that will serve as a showcase and central hub for the business in the Middle East. The centre is expected to create around 100 highly skilled professional and manufacturing roles as well as a further 150 indirect jobs.
Levidian provides a unique service that helps hard-to-abate sectors to unlock critical decarbonisation projects by capturing the carbon from methane gas and turning it into high value graphene and hydrogen.
The graphene produced is ‘net zero’, with the potential to be carbon negative depending on the make-up of the local grid and can be used to both drive
process efficiencies and enhance the intrinsic characteristics of products in major global industries as far ranging as steel, batteries and petrochemicals.
The hydrogen can be produced at varying levels of purity to be injected into the gas grid, used as a lower carbon fuel for on-site energy generation or as pure hydrogen suitable for hydrogen fuel cell EVs.
