+91-512-259-7629
+91-512-259-7629
The explosive increase in fossil fuels use during the last two centuries has resulted in CO2 accumulation in earth’s atmosphere. This buildup of CO2, a greenhouse gas, is causing global warming that is playing havoc with climate patterns and threatening human welfare. The Paris accord on climate stipulates that the global temperature increase by the end of 21st century be limited below 1.5˚ C to prevent a disastrous change in the climate. There are two approaches for managing atmospheric CO2 levels. The first approach is to use sustainable technologies and practices to minimize CO2 emissions. Examples include replacing fossil fuels with nuclear and renewable energy, electrifying transportation, and re- engineering major CO2 emitting industries such as steel and cement. Also, technologies are evolving that allow production of very large quantities of hydrogen for use as fuel. The second approach is to capture and sequester CO2 from large point sources by using liquid amines and solid sorbents. Carbon capture technologies are expensive and will likely be economically viable only at a few sites such as steel, cement and power plants. On the other hand, technologies and practices that minimize CO2 emissions look promising but will require very large scaleup to make a meaningful impact on CO2.
Ramesh Gupta is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, where he received a B. Tech. degree in chemical engineering in 1969. He later obtained a Ph.D. from
Princeton University and joined the chemical engineering faculty of Caltech as a Research Fellow in early 1973. Ramesh joined Exxon (now Exxon
Mobil) Research and Engineering Company in 1977. During his 40 plus year career there, he worked on diverse engineering and research projects,
including reactor engineering, multiphase hydrodynamics, refining processes, carbon capture, methane pyrolysis, compressible drilling fluids, and
process modeling. He served as an in-house reactor engineering consultant and provided design and troubleshooting assistance to Exxon Mobil’s
worldwide refineries. While at Exxon Mobil, he also served as an adjunct professor of chemical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.
Ramesh is the recipient of several awards, including four Exxon Engineering Awards of Excellence for finding novel solutions to refining problems,
the Best Research Paper award, and the Corporate Research Award for Innovation. He is also the recipient of more than 50 U.S. patents. For his
contributions to chemical engineering, he was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Ramesh lives in New Jersey and
periodically works as a technical consultant.
Mr. Jagjeet Singh Bindra did his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1969. He earned his master's
degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA in 1970. Mr. Bindra also has an
M.B.A. (honors) from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. He is a "Distinguished Alumnus" of the University of
Washington, College of Engineering, as well as of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He was awarded Institute
Fellow of IIT Kanpur in the year 2021.
Mr. Jagjeet Singh Bindra is on the board of Lyondell Basell Industries NV and HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd. He is also the
director of Edison International and Southern California Edison- one of the United States' largest electric utilities.
Before joining Edison, Mr. Bindra served as president of Chevron Global Manufacturing from 2004 - 2009, where
he was instrumental in leading the company's worldwide manufacturing operations, including those of 19
refineries
His entire career at Chevron spanned more than three decades, and he started with his work there as a research engineer and attained a series of
promotions with increasing levels of leadership. Apart from his positions with Edison, Mr. Bindra is on the board of directors of Larsen & Toubro
Limited, India; Transfield Services Limited, Australia and Sriya Innovations Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia; and has chaired the board of directors at the IIT
Kanpur Foundation.
