Innovative Technologies for Generating Clean Energy
Welcome to the SaskPower Clean Energy Research Chair (SCERCh) webpage. I am Raphael Idem, a Professor of Process/Industrial System Engineering in the University of Regina, and the Chair holder of SCERCh. Part of my goals is to develop innovative, efficient and cost-effective clean energy technologies for Saskatchewan, Canada and the world at large.
The other part is to ensure that the general public is aware of and can evaluate the benefits of the developed technologies. This aspect will be made possible via this webpage.
I hope you find it not only informative but mind probing, as to how best we all can ensure that the energy we need, create and use remains clean.
– Dr. Raphael Idem
To be the leading developer of clean energy technologies for various energy sectors in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world at large.
To develop an innovative, efficient and cost effective portfolio of technologies that will pave the way towards a low or zero carbon economy thereby enabling governments, policy makers, and the community at large to practically address climate change and global warming issues.
We have designed a portfolio of technologies aimed at producing clean energy. They are;
Click on any of the technologies above to read more and see our related publications.
What’s Cooking
When CO2 is considered gas of interest, flue gas from natural gas or coal-fired power plants, cement, and iron and steel industries mostly comprises of pollutants including NOx, O2, SOx, and flue dust which can potentially affect the performance of the amine blend in the presence of oxygen.
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Back to Basics
The fundamentals of chemistry can help us to understand why heat stable salts (HSSs) make an amine solution more prone to foaming. Foaming is one of the operational issues that can reduce the ability of an amine to capture the CO2.
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Last November, the SCERCh program Chair together with some members of the team paid a visit to two universities in Ghana: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi, and the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), in Tarkwa. The purpose of the visit was to explore the possibility of collaboration between CETRI and the universities for students’ exchange, as well as share ideas and discuss valuable inputs from both sides in relation to carbon capture, utilization and storage.
Our chair, Dr Raphael Idem and Dr. Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul were acknowledged in Alberta’s announcement on helping industry cut emissions and create jobs.
The mention was at 21 to 22 min in the video.
View Video
SCERCh group is helping to bring CCUS back on track in Canada and the world at large.
Check out this exciting announcement by Entropy Inc., Calgary, Canada:
See Announcement
As a team, our vision is “To be the leading developer of clean energy technologies for various energy sectors in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world at large.” The carbon capture contest by Elon Musk provides as a good opportunity to see this vision through. Our Chair, Dr. Raphael Idem expresses his views in the article below:
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Production of Clean Energy: What Can Engineers Do?
Raphael Idem, PhD, P.Eng. – Clean Energy Technologies Research Institute Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science – University of Regina
Abstract: Energy is required for industrialization and maintaining/improving our standard of living. At the moment, the majority of the energy is sourced from fossil fuels. This leads to the generation of GHGs, especially CO2, which is blamed for global warming and climate change. Many useful strategies have been conceived to mitigate this issue. None is a silver bullet. Therefore, one policy fits all type solution may not work. What is needed is to select and mix strategies depending on the natural resources of each jurisdiction. The challenge lies in finding the most effective mixing formula for the least cost per jurisdiction such that the targets on environment, economy and society’s living standard are met. These are tasks engineers perform, which may involve research, development, design, construction, operation, etc.
This presentation discussed the strategies and the varied roles engineers can play based on their best strengths to achieve cost-effective solutions that meet the targets.
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SCERCh Members: Click here to access member-only documents.
