Vision

We envision CO2 capture and utilization through conversion as a mainstream carbon management solution

Connect with us

The Pillars of the Global CO2 Initiative

Provide the leadership necessary to establish the new industry of CO2 capture and utilization through conversion into circular and durable products. We accomplish this through evaluation, research, education, training, and outreach.

Evaluation

Evaluation

Our harmonized guidelines ensure rigorous, transparent, and uniform analysis of environmental and economic impacts. Together with international partners, we created the Techno-Economic Assessment & Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization.


AssessCCUS is the leading repository of resources for life cycle and techno-economic assessment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies.

Learn About Our Evaluation Efforts

Research

Research

We conduct development and commercialization of new carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) technologies, including through collaborations with global partners.

Explore Global CO2 Initiative Research and Commercialization

Education

Education

We offer courses and research projects, as well as training and outreach, across the University of Michigan (U-M) to provide the learning environment needed to build the workforce for a new carbon economy.

The Global CO2 Initiative Student Association, a multidisciplinary U-M organization, provides a variety of carbon removal educational opportunities for students in majors ranging from engineering to art and design to public policy.

Discover Our Education Initiatives

The Global CO2 Initiative provides free downloadable resources for research, development, and market introduction of carbon dioxide capture and utilization technologies.

What’s Going on in the World of CO2 Capture and Utilization

  • GCI News

How to easily reduce CO2 emissions while also making money

September 20, 2024 | Volker Sick

What’s Happening in the Global CO2 Initiative

Working with GCI has been a wonderful experience because it has allowed me to not only learn more about the emerging field of CCUS, but has also given me the chance to develop my skills with some of the most prominent researchers and minds within the space. Working with GCI is a great opportunity for anyone interested in CCUS and sustainability because it gives you a chance to network and build relationships in this new and emerging field. I think the connections which I’ve made and the experiences I’ve gained are definitely worth their weight in gold, if not more.

Michael Ficaj

Michigan Engineering undergraduate and GCI Research Associate

I had the privilege of being an early supporter of GCI’s project to develop these guidelines, so I am thrilled to see them matured to this point. It’s easy to speak in the abstract about analysis like TEA and LCA for early-stage carbon management technologies, but doing the actual work is hard. These tools are the missing link between intention and action when it comes to evaluating early stage technologies, and I hope they can be used as widely as possible.

Marcius Extavour

Chief Climate Solutions Officer, TIME CO2 and GCI Advisory Board Member.

GCI’s leadership on resources for early teams to understand the carbon removal potential of their solution is second to none. Their tools unlock technical, economic, social analysis earlier than would be otherwise possible leading to more successful solutions.

Tito Jankowski

Chief Executive Officer at AirMiners

Definitivamente recomendaría colaborar con el GCI, puesto que es una asociación de expertos en el tema y refleja una apertura interdisciplinaria en el tema ambiental y de sostenibilidad. Cuentan con múltiples recursos de gran utilidad y con increíbles personas en lo personal y en lo profesional que te ayudan a sacar lo mejor de un proyecto.

José Maria Guerrero Mata

Production Coordinator at Arenko, Former U-M Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering Student

We must accelerate the scale up of effective carbon management practices. GCI and its partners are all aligned in this mission which is evident in their forward thinking approach to carbon transformation. We are at a tipping point for the planet and we need urgent action on carbon. This is something GCI and their incredible team focus on in all they do.

Jennifer Holmgren

CEO of LanzaTech

Working with the GCI opened tons of doors for me. During the summer, I worked on developing cost and carbon emissions models for novel carbon utilization processes. The whole time, I was mentored by and worked alongside a group of experts who are passionate about mitigating the climate crisis and knowledgeable about the techniques we use to assess technology. My experience here has given me excellent qualifications for my future work. I am confident that explaining my role within the GCI on my application to work at Argonne National Lab was a big help in being accepted into the SULI program there.

Will Townsend

Research Intern at Argonne National Laboratory and former GCI Research Assistant

The Global CO2 Initiative (GCI) is an outstanding program focused on advancing Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies in the United States as well as around the globe. Their engagement in harmonization of assessment methods particularly LCA and TEA as well as connecting stakeholders of the CCU community are key to fostering climate action in industry. The GCI makes a great collaborator for industry and academia alike, due to their long experience in method development and their standing in the United States’ policy realm.

Till Strunge

Research Associate at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies

Everyone at GCI has been completely supportive throughout my interactions with the organization. I have relied on GCI and the work that has been released by the organization since the beginning of my career. The guidelines released by GCI have allowed me to develop projects that have supported the growth of Blue Planet and the technology. I am well aware that GCI is a valuable resource for the CCU field, yet I am more aware of the integrity the GCI team carries everyday.

Mohamad El Hajj Younes

Energy Engineer/Material Scientist at Blue Planet, Ltd.

Having worked with the Global CO2 Initiative on multiple projects, I’ve always been impressed with their knowledge, dedication, and commitment to carbon management. Their faculty and staff are responsive, professional, and willing to try new approaches that other departments will not. And students are the most motivated I’ve seen to really take on a hands-on role in crafting the future of these technologies.

Matt Parker

Co-Founder of The OpenAir Collective

The report has really been invaluable to our organization and we use it like a ‘bible’ now helping us with our market approach.

Anonymous

Through their visionary leadership, groundbreaking research and analysis, thoughtful programming, and dynamic partnerships, the University of Michigan Global CO2 Initiative has been integral in creating knowledge, raising awareness, and mobilizing action in the nascent field of carbon dioxide removal and utilization. The Direct Air Capture Coalition is a proud partner of the GCI and we look forward to continuing to work together to advance and accelerate the deployment of critical carbon removal solutions.

Jason Hochman

Co-Founder and Senior Director at Direct Air Capture Coalition

The GCI is involved in much-needed knowledge provision in the CCU field. The data and information that is available on its website has proven a valuable resource for my own research and facilitates the assessment of the climate and economic benefits of CCU. In addition, the GCI and has built up an impressive international network of CCU experts whom I have collaborated with fruitfully in the past. I can therefore only recommend collaborating with the highly-motivated GCI team!

Sonja Thielges

Research Group Leader at Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies

GCI’s lifecycle analysis methodologies for carbon dioxide utilization are solid guidelines for sustainable product development. We at Air Company greatly value our work together and the contributions that GCI has made to the CCUS industry.

Stafford Sheehan

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer at Air Company

For me, GCI is the first address when it comes to understanding CCU. GCI brings together industry, government, and academia experts, helping them find a common language, exchange ideas, and even co-create guidance and resources for others. GCI has been systematically supporting CCU for years and has emerged as a thought-leading initiative respected around the globe.

Arno Zimmermann

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Spark e-Fuels

Working for the Global CO2 Initiative throughout and after graduate school helped prepare me for the next steps in my career in climate tech. If you are a student hoping to get involved in the rapidly growing space of carbon capture and utilization, there are few places better than GCI to do so. It is a great place to familiarize yourself with emerging concepts, contribute to active projects, and expand your network.

Grant Faber

Founder and President, Carbon-Based Consulting LLC

To receive funding from GCI means having a partner who supports one’s project and functions as a catalyst for project success. The GCI representatives are reachable and enthusiastic about teaming up to better understand CCU technologies. Our work on the TEA and LCA Guidelines for CCU was only possible with the network of interdisciplinary CCU experts the GCI is offering and growing.

Tim Langhorst

LCA/TEA guidelines team member, Doctoral Student at ETH Zurich

By the Numbers

$4.4 trillion

market potential for CO2-based products in 2050

2015

founding year of the Global CO2 Initiative

27

international agencies and institutions represented on our Advisory Board

CO2 Products and Utilization

From concrete to plastics, the global opportunities to capture and utilize carbon dioxide to reduce emission footprints as well as create market opportunities have exploded in the last several years.

Annual market opportunity

($ billions in USD)

Annual CO2 consumption

(gigatonnes)

Construction materials

Precast concrete, aggregates

800 – 1,000

1.0 – 9.5

Fuels

Jet fuel, methane

21 – 2,060

0.28 – 10.80

Chemicals

Formic acid, methanol

100 – 180

0.26 – 0.58

Pure carbon materials

Carbon black

14 – 66

0.04 – 0.20

Polymers

Polyurethane

130 – 190

0.002 – 0.013

Food

Animal feed

18 – 920

0.005 – 0.400

Why Carbon Removal and Utilization?

International organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as well as US based agencies like the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or the Department of Energy (DOE) all agree–no single solution is sufficient to counter climate change at this stage.

Reducing energy usage via increased efficiency, shifting from fossil fuels to clean electricity, and carbon capture, utilization and storage are all needed to stabilize the climate. In addition to minimizing the amount of CO2 emissions now, we must also remove substantial amounts of legacy CO2 emissions from the atmosphere. Once CO2 has been captured, it can either be stored or converted to products.

The Problem

Human activities such as fossil fuel use release additional carbon into the atmosphere, creating a carbon imbalance

A Solution: Carbon Removal and Utilization

From reforestation to direct air capture, CO2 removal and utilization technologies are transforming a liability into an asset and are creating long-term benefit to our climate, while stimulating economic growth