Building Carbon Removal Ecosystems in the Global South

Agenda

Welcome & Framing | 9:00 – 9:10

Jennifer Wilcox, University of Pennsylvania
Overview of objectives and framing of Global South CDR pathways.

host

Jennifer Wilcox

Presidential Distinguished Professor

Jen Wilcox is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Energy Policy. She previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy.

Session I – Scientific & Geological Foundations for Durable CDR | 9:10 – 10:15

This session focuses on the geoscience, catalysis, and energy systems required for permanent carbon removal in Brazil, India, and Kenya.

Speakers (10 minutes each, followed by 15 minutes Q&A):

speaker

Fabio S. Toniolo

Professor of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Catalysis, biomass valorization, and integration of CO₂ conversion pathways within Brazil’s renewable energy systems

speaker

Colombo Celso Gaeta Tassinari

Professor, University of São Paulo Institute of Energy and Environment

Geological storage in Brazilian sedimentary basins; monitoring and subsurface characterization.

speaker

Célio L. Cavalcante Jr.

Professor of Chemical Engineering, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC, Brazil)

Adsorption materials research for emerging direct air capture applications in Brazil

speaker

Vikram Vishal

Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, IIT Bombay

Geological storage potential in India, with emphasis on basalt formations and subsurface characterization for permanent CO₂ sequestration

speaker

Lydia Olaka

Senior lecturer, Department of Geosciences and the Environment, Nairobi Technical University of Kenya

Basalts in the East African Rift and opportunities for geothermal-powered mineralization and permanent CO₂ storage

speaker

Bilha Ndirangu

CEO, Great Carbon Valley

Workforce development, technical capacity building, and preparing African industrial ecosystems for CDR scale-up

moderator

Likhwa Ndlovu

Ph.D. Student, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

Session II: Deployment & Commercialization Pathways | 10:15 – 11:25 AM

This session examines real-world deployment pathways — from national geological mapping to mineralization projects, DAC facilities, and cross-border partnerships.

Session Opening:

moderator

Hélène Pilorge

Research Associate, Clean Energy Conversions Lab, University of Pennsylvania

Speakers (10 minutes each, followed by 15 minutes Q&A):

speaker

Bibhas Sen

Geological Survey of India

National geological mapping and basalt characterization to support safe, long-term CO₂ storage.

speaker

Anastasia Wanjohi

Cella

In situ mineralization in Kenyan basalts and integration with geothermal energy resources.

speaker

Petrobas

Speaker to be determined

Leveraging Brazil’s offshore oil and gas subsurface expertise for permanent CO₂ storage in sedimentary formations

speaker

Sifa Kinoti

Octavia Carbon

Solid-sorbent direct air capture coupled to geothermal energy in Kenya

speaker

Taylor Huff

Svante

Carbon capture technologies enabling BECCS and integration with direct air capture systems; partnership opportunities for Global South deployment

moderator

Shrey Patel

Ph.D. Student, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

Session III – Policy Integration & National Strategy | 11:25 AM – 12:15 PM

This session examines how durable CDR pathways may be incorporated into national climate strategies, long-term planning, and industrial decarbonization frameworks.

Session Opening:

moderator

Abby Lunstrum

Research Associate, Clean Energy Conversions Lab, University of Pennsylvania

Speakers (10-12 minutes each followed by 15 minutes Q&A):

speaker

Varun Agarwal

World Resources Institute – India

Modeling low-carbon development pathways and emerging considerations for CDR

speaker

George Mwaniki

World Resources Institute – Kenya

Governance readiness, climate finance, and Africa’s positioning in durable removals

speaker

Emily Ane Dionizio

World Resources Institute – Brazil

GHG accounting frameworks and integration of CDR within land-use and industrial strategies

moderator

Aline Awase

Ph.D. Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of Pennsylvania

Closing Reflections | 12:15 – 12:30 PM

host

Jennifer Wilcox

Presidential Distinguished Professor

Jen Wilcox is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Energy Policy. She previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy.

Full Speaker Bios

Session I:

Dr. Fabio S. Toniolo – Professor of Chemical Engineering – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Dr. Fabio S. Toniolo obtained his Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from the State University of Maringá, Brazil (2005), PhD in Chemical Engineering from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil (2010) and spent a sabbatical year as visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley/USA (2013/14). He is an Associate Professor of the Chemical Engineering Program of COPPE Graduate School of Engineering at UFRJ, Brazil, and works with Kinetics and Catalysis, developing scientific activities at NUCAT – Catalysis Center at COPPE/UFRJ. He has experience in the synthesis, characterization and application of heterogeneous catalysts in processes relevant to industry and academia, with particular interest in the reactions of (i) C1 chemistry and valorization of CH₄, CO and CO₂, (ii) Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and (iii) alcohol chemistry and biomass valorization, seeking to complement experimental and theoretical, fundamental and applied aspects in Catalysis and Chemical Engineering. He has experience in developing R&D projects in partnership with industries such as Petrobras, Ultragaz, Petrogal-Galp and ExxonMobil, and Brazilian financiers such as Embrapii-Coppe and Finep. He was awarded as a Young Scientist by FAPERJ (Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research Support in the State of Rio de Janeiro) and received a productivity grant from CNPq funding agency. He has active collaboration with the following international partners: Maulana Azad National Institute (India), Tianjin University (China), Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry CSIC (Spain), Centrale Lille (France) and recently contributed to a CAPES-Cafecub project (Brazil-France) and an H2020 project on Biomass conversion (BioValue-BECOOL).

Professor Colombo Celso Gaeta Tassinari is a distinguished Brazilian geologist known for his significant contributions to isotope geology and its applications in petroleum exploration and metallogenesis. He received a degree in geology from the University of São Paulo (USP) in 1975, followed by a master’s degree in geosciences with a focus on mineralogy and petrology in 1981, and a Ph.D. in geochemistry and geotectonics in 1988, all from USP. 
Currently, Tassinari is a full professor at USP’s Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE-USP), where he also directs the Technical Laboratory for Geological Storage of CO₂ and H₂. His previous administrative roles include director of the Institute of Geosciences at USP from 2008 to 2011, and director of IEE-USP from 2015 to 2019. 
Tassinari’s research focuses primarily on isotope geology, with an emphasis on geochemical applications in petroleum exploration, metallogenesis, and regional geology. He coordinates the National Institute of Science and Technology for Analytical Techniques Applied to Petroleum and Gas Exploration in Brazil.  His work has been widely recognized, culminating in the 2023 ANP Award for Technological Innovation as Academic Personality of the Year in the Oil, Gas and Biofuels Sector. 
An active member of the scientific community, Tassinari is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the São Paulo Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon. His commitment to the advancement of the geosciences has significantly influenced both academic research and practical applications in the energy and environmental sectors.

Prof. Célio L. Cavalcante Jr. – Professor of Chemical Engineering – Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC, Brazil). Eng. in Chemical Engineering (1978, UFBA, Brazil), Specialization in Petroleum and Petrochemical Processing (1979, Petrobras, Brazil), M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (1988, UFSCar, Brazil), PhD in Chemical Engineering (1994, Univ. New Brunswick, Canada). Industrial experience as Process Engineer (PETROFERTIL and COPENE) from 1980 to 1990. At UFC since 1994, he has held positions as Department Head and Chemical Engineering Graduate Advisor (Chem Eng Dept, UFC), Research Director and Special Projects Director (School of Research and Graduate Studies, UFC), Specialization Program in Petroleum Studies and Vice-Dean of Engineering (School of Engineering, UFC). Visiting scholar at Vanderbilt University (2003-2004, Nashville, USA) and Vrige Universitait Brussel (2012, Belgium). He was member of the Board of Directors of the International Adsorption Society (2001-2007) and the Higher Council of the Brazilian Chemical Engineering Association (2002-2004). Associate editor of the Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering (2010-2014). Scientific Director of the Research Funding Agency in the State of Ceara (2014) and member of the Board of International Advisors of the Spanish Research Network in Smart Energy (2014-2020). Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), International Adsorption Society (IAS), with expertise in Chemical Engineering processes, especially focused on fundamentals and applications of Separations and Reactions industrial processes.

Prof. Vikram Vishal – Prof. Vikram Vishal serves as a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at IIT Bombay. His academic journey includes various roles at MIT, Stanford University, Monash University, IIT Roorkee along with professional stints at Tata Steel and Shell. He is the Convener of the DST-National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), Director and Professor in charge of the IIT Bombay Research Park, and is also the founder and CEO of UrjanovaC Private Limited – a clean energy and net-zero solutions company. Prof. Vishal specializes in geomechanics, new energies and decarbonization. He engages as an Expert and a Knowledge Partner to lead Indian industries, multiple ministries and chairs the Committee on CCUS at the Bureau of Indian Standards. He also serves as the key National Expert on CCUS and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) for intergovernmental negotiations at the IPCC. Prof. Vishal holds recognition from all major science academies in India. A university gold medallist, three-time national award and two-time Fulbright fellowship recipient, he has authored over a hundred scientific research publications, a dozen national and international S&T roadmaps, over a dozen national and international policy and research roadmaps, and has received five patents.

Dr. Lydia Olaka is a Senior lecturer at the Nairobi Technical University of Kenya, Department of Geosciences and the Environment since March 2022. She is an Environmental Geologist specializing in earth system science at the interaction of geology and society: specific areas include geochemistry, groundwater flow and dynamics, climate change mitigation. In the past 17 years she has worked on a broad range of interdisciplinary projects centered around three main themes: a)climate reconstruction from millennial scale to modern, b) the impact of climate change and variability on health, farming systems,  and water resources including future projections in both the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria c) groundwater dynamics and flow through the fault dominated Kenya rift d) geochemistry  of soils, rocks and sediments and the impact on health. Since 2018 her research is exploring the potential for carbon capture and sequestration in Basalts in East Africa. Lydia is passionate about training the next generation through, teaching, training and mentorship, she had supervised at least 17 MSc and 5 PhDs to completion with a number still ongoing.

Bilha Ndirangu is a serial entrepreneur working on a range of green industries across the African continent. Her work is at the intersection of technology, energy, climate action, positioning Africa as an investment destination for the green economy, identifying and scaling relevant technologies, and preparing its youth to provide the requisite skills mix. She is currently the CEO of Great Carbon Valley, a systems integrator company developing Direct Air Carbon Capture & Storage (DACCS), and green industry projects in East Africa. She is also a co-founder of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, a non-profit, focused on developing young workforce for the green economy. Previously, she was the CEO of Africa’s Talking (a communications and payments technology company), where she expanded the company into 20 markets in African countries. Bilha also worked at Dalberg, where she launched the Nairobi office and advised clients on various African challenges, including energy, agriculture, and education. She serves on several boards, including Climate Breakthrough, Global Development Incubator, and beVisioneers (The Mercedes-Benz Fund). Bilha has been recognized on the Choiseul 100 Africa 2022 ranking, is a Desmond Tutu Fellow, and was awarded the Woman of Firsts- Excellence in Education Award by CMMI. Bilha holds a degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Economics from MIT and is a Yale Emerging Climate Leaders Fellow.

Likhwa Ndlovu is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on leveraging geoscience principles for the responsible deployment of carbon management solutions. This work spans from mapping deployment pathways for pairing geothermal energy with Direct Air Capture to evaluating Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) protocols for Enhanced Rock Weathering. 
Likhwa holds a dual BA in Geology and Geography from Macalester College, a Masters in Applied Geosciences from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in International Environmental Engineering from the Ecole Des Mines Paris.

Session II:

Dr. Bibhas Sen is a professional geoscientist with over two and a half decades of experience in geological exploration, research and capacity building. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pune and is an alumnus of the University of Calcutta and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee. His expertise spans geological and mineral exploration, volcanology, and petrology. His work has significantly contributed the understanding of the Deccan Volcanic Province, Precambrian terrains, and Critical mineral-enrichment regoliths. He currently serves as the Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India (GSI). As the techno-administrative head of the Maharashtra Unit of GSI, Dr. Sen is responsible for planning, formulation, and execution of over fifty geological and mineral exploration projects, including collaborative multidisciplinary research works on Carbon Sequestration, Sedimentological and Paleomagnetic studies with various IITs and Universities. He has authored many peer-reviewed publications, both national and international, and has actively contributed in various technical committees and, task-forces; and participated in many seminars and symposia. He has been a regular resource person and faculty member for numerous training programs covering domain, and functional competencies. Notably, he is co-supervisor to four doctoral students at IIT Bombay.

Anastasia Wanjohi is a natural resources and energy specialist with extensive experience in sustainable energy, climate innovation, and environmental management. She is currently the Project Manager and Kenya Representative at Cella, where she pioneers work in geologic carbon sequestration and sustainable energy transitions, a critical frontier in the fight against climate change. Her career spans senior roles in both policy and practice, from steering natural and energy resource frameworks at the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), to breaking ground as a Senior Geophysicist at KenGen, where she advanced Kenya’s geothermal sector. Anastasia holds a Master’s in Applied Geophysics and a Bachelor’s in Geology (Hons) from the University of Nairobi, along with a postgraduate diploma in Geothermal Geophysics from the United Nations University in Iceland. She is regularly invited to speak at major industry forums, is passionate about mentorship and inclusion, and actively champions opportunities for young women in science and technology.  Her career reflects a commitment to responsible climate action, economic development, and positioning African innovation at the forefront of global clean energy solutions.

Sifa Kinoti is Head of Policy & Partnerships at Octavia Carbon, Kenya’s first Direct Air Capture company. She works at the intersection of climate policy, industrial development, and carbon markets, advancing high-integrity carbon removal in emerging economies. Her work focuses on aligning innovation with national climate strategies and positioning the Global South in the future of durable carbon removal.

Taylor Huff is currently Head of Carbon Markets for Svante, focused on developing BECCS projects to enable high-quality carbon removals.  He has prior experience as a project developer, investor, start-up founder and engineer across the CCUS/CDR, hydrogen and clean fuels sectors.  Taylor has previously been in leadership roles at Khasma Capital, H Cycle and EvolOH.  He started his career at BP in large-scale oil and gas.  Taylor holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, M.S. Engineering from Stanford University and B.S. Chemical Engineering from University of Oklahoma.

Shrey Patel is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the integration of low carbon energy sources with carbon capture and storage. He is investigating the climate benefit of using geothermal energy to fulfill the heat and electricity requirements of a full carbon removal pathway using process modelling simulations and techno-economic assessment. He uses ASPEN Plus to develop and optimize the process model to integrate geothermal energy with electricity generation, direct air capture, and carbon mineralization. His experimental research includes carbon storage in mining waste, via a pH swing process. Shrey has a B.Tech. (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai, India.

Session III:

Varun Agarwal is Program Research Lead with the Climate, Economics & Finance Program at WRI India, where he oversees programmatic research and supports authors in the publication process. He has over ten years of experience in climate change mitigation, with his research spanning low-carbon development pathways for India using modelling and quantitative economics frameworks, carbon pricing, industrial decarbonization, and a just transition focused on equity and decent livelihoods.
He previously worked at the Confederation of Indian Industry in the areas of greenhouse gas inventory and reporting, corporate sustainability standards, and environmental policy. He also has experience in the software industry, where he worked on programming applications for feasibility analysis of renewable energy projects.
Varun holds a master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resource Management from the University of Freiberg, Germany, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pune, India.

Dr. George Mwaniki is the Country Director for WRI Kenya and Head of Air Quality for WRI Africa. Based in Nairobi, he leads strategic stakeholder engagement and coordination across climate and air quality programs. With over 15 years of experience, he has supported governments and institutions in 25+ African countries to access climate finance and implement climate and environmental solutions. Previously, he consulted for UNEP, UNFCCC, IFAD, and others. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Washington State University and is widely recognized for advancing evidence-based, locally grounded climate action and policy innovation across Africa.

Dr. Emily Ane Dionizio is a GHG Accounting Specialist II at WRI Brasil, working at the intersection of climate, land use, and corporate decarbonization. She advises public and private sector leaders on setting science-based emissions reduction targets and implementing low-carbon, regenerative production systems. Her expertise spans GHG emissions and carbon removals accounting under the GHG Protocol, the integration of nature-based solutions into corporate strategies, and the advancement of credible carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathways to support industrial decarbonization. With a background in carbon cycle science and land-use change in Brazil, she brings a strong technical foundation to the design of robust, science-aligned climate strategies. Emily holds a degree in Biology, with a Master’s and Ph.D. in Applied Meteorology from the Federal University of Viçosa – UFV, focusing on land use changes, carbon cycle, and sustainable agriculture, and a specialization in Skills for the Green Transition from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.

Aline Uwase is a PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research work focuses on CO2 adsorption, sorbents characterization, and the role of water in CO2 adsorption. Specifically, she uses a gas sorption instrument, Autosorb IQ, for sorbents characterization (i.e. surface area analysis, porosity, pore size distribution). Aline then uses the VSTAR (Vapor Sorption Volumetric Gas Sorption Analyzer) for CO2 isotherms in humid environments and water tunability studies in CO2 adsorption. 
Aline has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington State University.