Carbon capture, storage and utilisation

Carbon capture, storage, and utilisation (CCSU) are at the heart of the global fight against climate change, which means studying them is essential. As an engineer, you’ll be designing and implementing cutting-edge solutions to tackle rising carbon emissions.

Carbon capture uses chemical engineering techniques to trap CO₂ emissions from sources like power plants and factories. Storage focuses on the geology and subsurface engineering needed to safely lock away that CO₂ underground. You’ll work alongside geologists, reservoir engineers, and environmental scientists to pick the right sites, evaluate rock formations, and apply secure injection and monitoring methods.

Carbon utilisation turns captured CO₂ into valuable products. You’ll explore catalytic processes that convert CO₂ into chemicals, fuels, and materials, diving into electrochemical and thermochemical reactions, and catalyst design. This lets you help develop sustainable tech that flips CO₂ from a climate problem into a valuable resource.

Mastering CCSU means understanding the core chemical and engineering principles behind these processes. It’s a must-know field if you want to lead the transition to cleaner, more sustainable industrial systems and contribute to global goals like the United Nations’ SDG 13: Climate Action.

Active learning - This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.

Problem-based learning - This unit includes problem-based learning approaches, where you will engage in research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop viable solutions in response to a problem or set of problems.

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.