BT Young Scientist Award Winner Visits NEG8 Carbon to View Pioneering Climate Tech in Action
Promising young technologist and category winner in this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, Tomás Markey, has visited an Irish company pioneering the climate change technology that scooped him the coveted award.
Tomás is a student at St. Brogan’s College in Bandon, Cork and was the winner of this year’s Best Overall Individual award and the Analog Devices Technology award at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition for his Direct Air Capture (DAC) project.
The avid science and technology student has since visited Waterford-based carbon capture tech company, NEG8 Carbon, to share ideas and learn from leading engineers and scientists working in this breakthrough field. He won the award for his work on developing a scalable and affordable DAC unit called ‘PM-DAC: A System for Removing CO₂ from the Atmosphere’.
Dr John Breen, Chief Technology Officer at NEG8 Carbon, said Direct Air Capture is a fast-moving technology and having talented and bright students interested in addressing climate change in a meaningful way augurs extremely well for the sector in Ireland.
“By winning this award, Tomás has highlighted the important role that technology and science will play in fighting climate change. He stands as a talented inspiration for other young people who are considering STEM careers and shows what can be done with curiosity, a willingness to learn and persistence.”
Speaking after his visit to NEG8 Carbon in Waterford, Tomás said:
“I really enjoyed my visit out to the NEG8 Carbon team. Touring the ready-to-use spaces left me with a real sense of excitement and hope for Direct Air Capture developing in Ireland. Addressing climate change requires a series of cumulative actions, and companies like NEG8 serve as a prime example. I look forward to being actively involved in this field over the next number of years.”
As well as winning the overall individual BT Young Scientist prize, Tomás also partnered with team mates Joseph Reidy, Luke Bailey and Conor O’Neill, to win the Intercom Track at the Hack Ireland event for their app, Bundles – “the notes app that talks back”.
NEG8 Carbon’s Electrostatic DAC technology works by drawing in air and passing it over a specifically designed solid sorbent system that attracts and captures carbon dioxide (CO₂) molecules directly from the atmosphere. The captured CO₂ can then be permanently and safely stored underground (See: What is Carbon Sequestration?) or converted into climate-neutral carbon products, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or used in producing concrete (Storing CO₂ in Concrete).
Carbon Capture Innovation
NEG8 Carbon is continuously driving innovation in DAC and has two key technologies currently under development. The first introduces a novel way to apply the CO₂-capturing sorbent in an ultra-thin layer on a heat exchanger instead of using thick beds, which makes capturing and releasing CO₂ quicker while using less sorbent.
The second innovation is an improved heat exchange process which helps transfer heat more effectively to the sorbent, at an efficient 65ºC regeneration temperature which is far below the industry standard of 85 ºC -100ºC. This breakthrough cuts energy demand and extends sorbent lifespan to over 5 years. The regen time is also faster (down from 2 hours to 10 minutes, a 91% improvement) and it adsorbs more CO₂.
Energy consumption is also reduced which makes the DAC system more affordable and environmentally friendly.
Photo (left to right):
Pictured at the NEG8 Carbon headquarters in Waterford city were: Xanilizé Botha, Office Manager; John Breen, Chief Technology Officer; Tomás Markey, Cristina Lopez Olmos, Process Development Engineer; Jan Erik Malan, Snr Mechanical Engineer; Alfred Jovin Rajan, Process Development Engineer and Seyed Mahdi Akbarimoosavi, Mechanical Engineer.
For more:
- What is Direct Air Capture?
- Direct Air Capture Cost Compared to Cost of Inaction on Climate Change
- NEG8 Carbon Named Among Shortlisted Companies for RDS Circular Economy Awards
- NEG8 Carbon Shortlisted for Two Manufacturing Excellence Awards for Direct Air Capture Breakthroughs