KAIST, Saudi oil firm to set up joint carbon research center

KAIST President Suh Nam-pyo, left, poses with Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, before signing an agreement to set up a joint research center at the firm’s headquarters in Dhahran on Jan. 6. / Courtesy of KAIST

By Na Jeong-ju

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced Wednesday that it signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil firm Saudi Aramco to establish a joint research institute, for developing technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The institute, tentatively named the Saudi Aramco-KAIST CO2 Research Center, will be established near KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon on a 16,500-square meter site.

“Under the joint project, we will foster and facilitate research collaborations in areas such as removing or capturing carbon dioxide emissions, converting CO2 into useful products and sharing carbon management technologies,” the school stated in a press release.

KAIST President Suh Nam-pyo flew to Dhahran where the oil firm’s headquarters is located to sign the accord with Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco.

“As demand for petroleum and natural gas is expected to increase due to the increasing global population and continued economic development, it is imperative that we collaborate with top industry partners to find innovative and sustainable solutions that will benefit all of mankind,” Suh said.

The joint institute is Saudi Aramco’s first research collaboration project in Asia.

The CEO said it represents a major step in the firm’s research and technology strategy to partner with top global institutions.

“We hope it will help address and find sustainable solutions to the world’s energy challenges both domestically and internationally,” Al-Falih said.

KAIST officials said the move is in line with global efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and develop clean energy sources. The supply of fossil fuel resources is rapidly declining, but global energy demand is forecast to increase by approximately one third over the next 25 years.

The country’s top technology school is a key partner of the government in developing a carbon trade system, which will make it obligatory for companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.