QU’s Gas Processing Centre Awarded QNRF Grant

The Gas Processing Centre (GPC) at the College of Engineering, Qatar University (QU), in collaboration with Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (Qeeri) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, College of Business and Economics at QU and Qatar Green Building Council, have received the prestigious QNRF National Priorities Research Programme - Cluster grant.
The cluster programme is dedicated to address pressing and strategic challenges for Qatar and produce tangible societal and economic impact. It also supports multi-institutional and inter/multi-disciplinary research to solve significant and complex problems in a holistic way that are resistant to conventional approaches. 
The proposed cluster project, which focuses on the development of a highly efficient and sustainable carbon management system for Qatar, has been granted $5mn from QNRF, in addition to $1.4mn as industrial co-funding for a period of five years. 
The cluster proposal offers a holistic approach to carbon management, including the development of effective CO2 capture technologies using innovative materials and the implementation of novel technologies to convert carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals. The cluster also examines process economics, life cycle assessment and environmental impacts.
The GPC team, led by Prof Muftah El-Naas, includes researchers from the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences in addition to researchers from Qatar Shell and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research. The cluster also involves notable national and international entities, including the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Kahramaa, Agrico and Innovate Calgary.
Prof El-Naas said, “We are delighted to win the first QNRF CO2 Cluster grant.  In this project, we aim to develop innovative technology for converting CO2 from a harmful pollutant to a useful product. We will not only mitigate the effects of CO2 emissions but also improve the indoor air quality for the whole society. I look forward to working on this great project with a great team.”