Decarbonization as a Route Towards Sustainable Circularity

This book surveys the current research on CO₂ conversion processes and shows that these can close the carbon cycle as part of a circular economy. The technical and economic feasibility of these processes are examined together and current scientific challenges are signposted, which will guide future R&D. Technology sustainability is key for meeting and keeping decarbonization goals in the long term. However, considering economic and environmental sustainability individually is not enough. An integral view of sustainability that incorporates an energy term in the equation is needed. This book brings this concept to the fore.

Dr. Magdalena Ramirez-Corredores is a Distinguished Research Scientist, in Idaho National Laboratory Chemical Science Department, where she has been working on biofuels and on carbon dioxide utilization, since 2016; with previous industrial research experience at KiOR (2009-2015), BP International Ltd (2006-2009) and PDVSA (1981-2003) where she directed and managed R&D programs, with a business aligned vision. She was a Visiting Scholar at Yale University (1989) and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2001). Her trajectory involves a successful track in the invention and development of emerging process technologies for biomass conversion and refining processes, and on knowledge, science & technology management. She has 60 inventions described in 180+ worldwide patents and authored 134 publications (2 books, 8 monographs, 72 articles and 52 conference papers). Her total number of citations (excluding all authors’ self‐citations) is above 2000, for an h-index of 28. Her chemistry doctorate was awarded by the University of Bath, UK and she is also a recipient of the highest industrial research awards from Venezuela: Exceptional Contributions Award (PDVSA 2001) and National Award on Technological Research (CONICIT 1991).


Professor Mireya R. Goldwasser is a Scientist working at the Centre of Catalysis, Petroleum and Petrochemical at Venezuela Central University, Science Faculty, Chemistry School. She has been awarded several Prizes related to her research work, among them the order “José Maria Vargas” (1991), the “Francisco De Venanzi” (1992), the highest research award Polar “Lorenzo Mendoza Fleury” award in Chemistry (2009). She has published over 200 scientific papers and technical reports and has been an invited lecturer at many universities in Venezuela and to international conferences and symposia mainly in Iberoamerica and France. She was invited at the “Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l'environnement de Lyon”, (1983), and Invited Professor at the University of Lille, France (1996). She has participated in 25 joint projects, national (PDVSA, CONICIT, CDCH) and international (TOTAL, CNRS, CEE, Petrobras, Prosul). Her total number of citations is 2302, for an h-index of 245 and i10 index of 46. She is a Fellow of the Venezuelan Academy of Physics, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (ACFIMAN. Chair XXI), Honorary Member of the National Academy of Engineering and Habitat (ANIH), Member of the Academy of Sciences of Latin America (ACAL). She was President of the National Committee for Petroleum Research (CONIPET, 2000-2001) and President of the ACFIMAN (2019-2021). She is a member of the Energy Program of the Interamerican Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) and coordinates the Inter-Academic Energy Program of ACFIMAN-ANIH. Her actual research interest is in the area of design, synthesis, and characterization of nanoparticles catalysts for CO2 utilization, syngas production and its transformation to hydrogen, alcohols, olefins, synthetic fuels and GTL.


Professor Eduardo Falabella de Sousa-Aguiar is currently a Full Professor in the School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He has worked in Petrobras Research Centre for more than 30 years, where he was the manager of the GTL Cell, a group dedicated to the development of GTL/CTL/BTL technologies and the chemical transformation of CO2 . He has worked as a researcher in the AKZO Research Centre, in Amsterdam and in the Texas Ketjen plant in Houston, USA. Also, he spent some time as a post-doctoral research fellow in the University of Brunel, UK, and the Technische Universität Wien. He has been involved in many research projects, being one of the leaders of the team that developed and installed the “Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores”, an industrial plant in which more than 40,.000 tons of FCC catalysts are produced per year in Brazil. He has authored several patents and more than 300 articles (h-index of 32), having been the advisor of more than 40 PhD and MSc theseis. He has been the focal point in Brazil of the international program CYTED for the area of Environmental Catalysis. Furthermore, he has been a scientific advisor and a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Centre for Science and High Technology (ICS-UNIDO). Prof. Falabella has been awarded many times, deserving special attention the International James Oldshue Award of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2013, the Highest Award of the “Sociedad Iberoamericana de Catálisis” 2016 and the title of Honorary Professor of the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China. He was the president of the International Natural Gas Conversion Symposium in 2007, the International Congress on Catalysis for Biorefineries (CATBIOR) in 2015 and the International Zeolite Conference in 2016.