Green Chemistry and Technology

Biography

Biography: Paul O’Connor

Abstract

In the billion year history of our earth a most amazing and unique process has occured of the massive conversion of the plentitude of the present CO₂ in the atmosphere with water into biomass or biomaterials under the influence of solar energy, a process we call: photosynthesis.

Because of this processs the CO₂ in the earth’s atmosphere dropped from 20% to ± 250 to 300ppm. Part of these biomaterials over billions of years has been degraded (or “fossilized”) and converted into coal, oil and gas, or what we call today fossil fuels.

The accelerated use of these fossil resources over the last 200 years has lead to a sharp increase in CO₂, now already at 400 ppm and also the increase of Methane (CH₄) in the atmosphere, triggering global warming.

It is our responsibility to invent, develop and apply the right green chemistry making use of the available natural resources such as CO₂, water and biomaterials in a way which does not harm the eco-systems of our earth, meaning in a circular and sustainable way,

Examples will be given of innovations in this exciting field over the last 15 years, leading to new technologies, opening up the possibilities for:

1. Advanced materials and chemicals from biomass and biomass waste
2. Fuels and chemicals from CO₂ and water from the open Air, making use of clean renewable energy (Solar, Wind, Hydropower etc).