The Center for Carbon Management in Energy at the University of Houston (CCME) wrapped up a successful executive education course in Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), setting the stage for future learning chances for energy industry professionals next spring. In accordance with UH Energy’s stature as the ‘energy university,’ CCME brought together UH faculty experts along with thought leaders within the field and industry executives to better equip professionals with pertinent knowledge about CCUS.

“Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage is one of the most promising new business technologies in the market-place, making this an incredibly unique opportunity to gain insight about it through the expertise of these instructors.” said CCME Executive Director Charles McConnell.

This six-session course attended by a diverse group of 25 industry leaders who currently hold a wide range of executive positions in their companies. In the spring, CCME plans to accommodate these industry professionals again through a three-week, synchronous Zoom course that will examine different types of capture technologies, transportation mechanisms, the disposition and utilization of CO2, offshore geological disposition, and more. The initial program was met with stunningly positive feedback, and this along with the constantly changing energy landscape necessitated further educational opportunities.

“We were jubilant with the audience participation of the first series, and some individuals had to be placed on a wait-list in which we look forward to having them join us in the spring,” McConnell said. “The fall participants expressed their interest in a second course, so we’re looking to accommodate the spring session to include more modules and information.”

In examining the future of energy, decarbonization seems to be the obvious solution to produce clean fuels at the scale that the economy demands. According to McConnell, CCUS acts as a fundamental foundation essential in successfully navigating the energy transition. “Other solutions such as green-hydrogen, wind or solar will not be able to produce energy at the scale our economy needs,” said McConnell. “Simply put, you cannot create adequate amounts of clean energy without CCUS. It addresses both the need for increasing energy supply and the need for sustainable energy.”

UH Energy is grateful to the industry experts who assisted with this program and looks forward to hosting more professionals in the spring. Keep a look out for details to be shared at uh.edu/uh-energy for the spring session as they are being finalized.