National Award for Recycling Carbon Technology

• 25 May 2021

Why in News

A Bangalore based startup has received the National Award 2021 from Technology Development Board (TDB) for developing a commercial solution for conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to chemicals and fuels.

• The startup has received funding under the Nano Mission.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The startup developed efficient catalysts and methodologies for the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to methanol and other chemicals.
  • It has led to improvisation of process engineering to enhance the production of chemicals and fuels from anthropogenic CO₂ generated from various sources including coal and natural gas power generation sectors, steel industry, cement industry, and chemical industries.
  • It has integrated multiple components involved in the CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration) to develop a complete solution for the environmental issues due to global warming.
  • The Recycling Carbon Technology will be transferred to Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology.
• Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS):
  
  • It is a process that captures carbon dioxide emissions from sources like coal-fired power plants and either reuses or stores it so it will not enter the atmosphere.
  • Carbon dioxide storage in geologic formations includes oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams and deep saline reservoirs - structures that have stored crude oil, natural gas, brine and carbon dioxide over millions of years.

Technology Development Board

• TDB is a statutory body established by the Technology Development Board Act, 1995.
• It was established in 1996 and functions under the Department of Science of Technology.
• It provides financial assistance to companies working for commercialization of indigenous technologies and adaptation of imported technologies for domestic applications.
• As part of National Technology Day (11^th May), the TDB presents the National Awards, to industrial concerns who have successfully commercialized an indigenous technology.

Nano Mission

• The Government of India launched the Nano Mission in 2007 as an "umbrella capacity-building programme".
• It is being implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Source: PIB