KAUST's carbon capture technology: A Saudi solution to reduce ship emissions
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to solidify its leading position in environmental sustainability and scientific innovation, with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) spearheading an unprecedented scientific movement to address the challenges of climate change. In a significant breakthrough, a research team at the university has successfully developed innovative technological solutions aimed at efficiently reducing industrial and marine emissions, thus bolstering the Kingdom's efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.
“Freezing” technology: A new concept for carbon capture
Since 2020, KAUST has been leading advanced research into cryogenic carbon capture (CCC) technology, which has successfully moved from the laboratory to field applications. Dr. Sai Shrinivas Sridharan, the initiative's technical director, explained that the innovation lies in developing portable and intelligent extraction units, engineered to resemble Lego bricks, allowing for easy assembly and stacking on commercial vessels.
This technology is distinguished by its unique ability to capture carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide simultaneously during sea voyages that may extend for a whole month, after which the cargo is unloaded and processed at specialized land-based stations, eliminating the need for traditional and expensive chemical cleaning systems.
Global context and strategic importance of the event
This move comes at a crucial time as the maritime transport sector faces increasing international pressure, particularly from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to reduce its carbon footprint. Maritime transport is the lifeblood of global trade, but it relies heavily on heavy fuel oil. KAUST's technology offers a radical solution, allowing existing vessels to operate cleaner without immediate replacement, thus providing both economic and environmental sustainability.
At the national level, this innovation aligns perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative and the goals of Vision 2030, which adopts a “circular carbon economy” approach. This technology bridges the transition gap to cleaner fuels, supporting the Kingdom’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
Strategic partnerships and commercial readiness
The project did not stop at theoretical research; it achieved significant advancements in technical readiness (TRL 6) through its application at the Rabigh Power Plant. In November 2024, the university launched a groundbreaking research project, the first of its kind globally, in partnership with the Saudi Electricity Company, to implement a freezing technology for the simultaneous capture of multiple pollutants.
The project's operating model is based on a "center-periphery" concept, where carbon is captured at the source (ships or factories) and processed centrally. The technology is currently preparing for commercial deployment, with plans to demonstrate its capacity to capture approximately 30 tons of carbon per day.
International recognition and prestigious awards
Saudi innovation has garnered widespread global attention, and this success culminated in the Cooled Carbon Extraction Initiative winning two prestigious awards in 2025: the Emirates Energy Award and the “Best R&D Project” award from the Asia Energy Awards, confirming the efficiency of Saudi solutions and their ability to compete globally in the green technology market.
