This project aims at developing an emerging technology which consists of an alternative sustainable solution to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. This objective fits the EU strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing an environmentally safe carbon capture and a geological storage policy. Indeed, most of the subterranean technologies consist of injecting CO2 as a gas under high pressures, leading inevitably to the problem of possible leakage In response to this issue, the transformation of CO2 into carbonate is now considered as an interesting solution for CO2 sequestration. Two major options are under scrutiny for permanent storage of CO2. One is a physicochemical precipitation that occurs in certain types of rocks. The other one is based on the ability of a certain bacteria to precipitate carbonates, which in turn extends the geological sequestration opportunities beyond the gaseous storage in various deep geological formations. This project targets bacterial metabolic pathways enabling significant carbonate precipitation. In particular, “CO2SolStock” specific objectives are: 1. To explore emerging alternative sustainable solutions related to microbiological pathways of carbonatation for CO2 sequestration; 2. To map out a scientific evaluation of the various routes and promises, from the surface to the deepest habitats; 3. To establish a tool-kit enabling scientific evaluation; 4. To validate the technology with at least 2 validated proof of concept tests for bacterial metabolism supported CO2 sequestration.

Universidad de Granada