Sources and Sinks

A Newsletter from Carbon Solutions

November 2024

Empowering Tribal Talent: Building Pathways in Energy Transitions

On October 18, Carbon Blueprint hosted its first Tribal Talent Development Workshop at the University of Wyoming to advance workforce development and climate resilience on tribal lands. Part of a pilot program under Wyoming Carbon Blueprint/WyoTCH Hub, the workshop engaged emerging leaders from the Wind River Indian Reservation and other tribal communities, focusing on carbon management and the energy transition. Participants discussed integrating traditional ecological knowledge with new technologies, trust-building, and systemic barriers such as limited educational access and declining oil and gas revenues. Carbon Solutions is looking forward to a cohort of tribal leaders to help design a Final Capstone project that will help develop meaningful connections across tribes and advocate for tribal needs as energy continues to transition.

Insights and Impact:

Carbon Solutions at GHGT-17

Our team at Carbon Solutions recently attended GHGT-17 in Calgary, where we joined over 1,500 global CCUS experts to share our research and expand collaborations in carbon capture, utilization, and storage. The team delivered eight impactful talks and poster sessions, with presentations from Erin Middleton on the Wyoming Carbon Blueprint, Richard Middleton on sustainable carbon hubs, and Kat Sale on carbon capture energy demands and health benefits. 

Jonathan Ogland-Hand, alongside Bjorn Brooks, presented innovative research on the weather-water nexus for direct air capture (DAC), contributing three posters that explored geologic storage, carbon sequestration management, and DAC siting decisions. GHGT-17 was an invaluable experience for fostering connections and advancing our CCUS mission.

Advancing Urban Resilience: Amy Jordan’s Contributions at the DOE Urban IFL PI Meeting

Dr. Amy Jordan, Principal Investigator of the Local Air Emissions Tracking Atlas (LOCAETA), recently attended the 2024 Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (IFL) Principal Investigators Meeting in Rockville, MD. This gathering brought together researchers from four DOE Urban IFLs, as well as select recipients of related Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, to explore advancements in urban climate and energy resilience. Key topics included air quality monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and resilient decision-making. Dr. Jordan presented a poster on LOCAETA’s progress in developing a tool to quantify the public health co-benefits of industrial decarbonization, focusing on communities affected by pollution and climate impacts. LOCAETA’s evolving tool, initially aimed at nationwide screening, is scaling to city-level accuracy to better support urban resilience strategies, aligning with the Urban IFLs’ mission to foster equitable climate solutions. 

Employee Staff Spotlight: Qasim Mehdi

This month, we’re excited to spotlight Qasim Mehdi! Qasim has been a powerhouse at Carbon Solutions, leading the charge on the innovative H2-CO2 Co-Optimization Model with GTI Energy. His role has centered on assessing feasibility and conducting geospatial analysis to optimize hydrogen and carbon infrastructure across the U.S. Qasim thrives on variety and challenge, always eager to dig into new analyses and strategies to advance decarbonization. Outside work, he’s an Age of Empires ace, Olympic-style weightlifter, and multilingual dog dad to Gimli (aka Bhaloo)— switching from English to Urdu like a true multilingual genius! 

– New Webinar November 20th! –

CO₂ on the Move! Transportation Challenges and Opportunities

Presenter: Tracey Ziev

– 12:00pm EST –

CO₂ transportation is essential to effective carbon management, yet it’s one of the most complex challenges in the industry. Join our upcoming webinar, led by Tracey Ziev, for an in-depth look at transportation modes—such as pipelines, rail, barge, and truck—alongside the key obstacles and opportunities that define this sector. Discover how Carbon Solutions’ specialized software helps solve these logistical challenges and optimizes CO₂ transport strategies. This is a valuable session for anyone interested in the future of carbon management and the tools that can make it happen. 

Good Reads…

• 39 State DOTs Secure $1.2 billion for Low-carbon Materials

• World’s Largest Carbon Capture Plant Being Built in Texas – Newsweek

• Stronger NDCs With Cities, States, and Regions: Recommendations for National Governments | World Resources Institute

• How US States Can Lead on Carbon Removal Policy | World Resources Institute

• STATEMENT: Multiple Countries Commit to 6x Global Energy Storage and Modernize Grid to Advance Clean Energy Economy | World Resources Institute