In the seventh episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Dr. Julio Friedmann, who served as Lead of President Obama’s Research and Development program for Carbon Capture and Storage and CO2 utilization in the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Dr. Friedmann is renowned as one of the world’s leading experts on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as well as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS). The discussion on the podcast covers CCS – the process of capturing carbon and storing it underground – and CCUS – the process of using the carbon to produce green hydrogen, methanol or ammonia.

Dr. Friedmann argues that both CCS and CCUS are prerequisites to combat climate change. He explains that the technologies has been available for decades, but that we need more research, development and finance to scale the technology and bring down costs. He says that CCS is not a product per se, and thus need financial incentives to be further developed.

Today, Dr. Friedmann, a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center for Global Energy Policy where he is leads their Carbon Mitigation Research Initiative.

While originally educated as a musical composer, Dr. Friedmann received his Ph.D. in Geology, before embarking on his career in both academia, politics and the business world. 

Prior to working for President Obama, he was the Chief Energy Technologist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - one of the United States leading energy research institutions. 

He has also worked as a research scientist at the University of Maryland and as a Senior Research Scientist at ExxonMobil.

During the interview, Dr. Friedmann mentions his former boss, “Ernie Moniz” – a reference to Dr. Ernest Moniz, the United States Secretary of Energy from 2013-17.