Haiqing Lin, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is helping Helios-NRG develop efficient, long-lasting membranes for inexpensively separating algae and water.
The ultimate goal of this project is to reduce pollution and fight climate change. To do this, biotech startup Helios-NRG is testing technologies for algae cultivation and carbon capture in a greenhouse on the North Campus.
Algae, mostly residing in aquatic habitats, have an ability to consume carbon dioxide to perform photosynthesis. If grown in dense enough concentrations, these organisms could presumably be used to capture carbon dioxide from power plants that burn coal or natural gas. In one project, Haiqing Lin, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is helping Helios-NRG develop efficient, long-lasting membranes for inexpensively separating the algae and water.
“Fossil fuel power plants are dominant sources of carbon dioxide production,” says Ravi Prasad, president of Helios-NRG. “This is a global problem with severe effects, and more and more people are realizing that we need to do something about it. By developing a sustainable biotechnology approach for carbon capture, our company is working to address the challenge of climate change.”