Research at the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center is the interface between life sciences and chemical sciences to develop new fundamental understandings and early technology platforms for capturing and converting CO₂ for storage and utilisation.

Supported by extensive systems analyses, the center focuses on early research phases on the scalability of technology solutions via extensive conversations with relevant industrial partners and policy makers. Research activities also include basic collaborative research with companies on specific aspects of research.

The research center is distinctive in its cross-disciplinary approach by combining and integrating the best of life and chemical sciences, supported by systems modeling. Thus, the CO₂ research center will also be a leader in educating and training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers, preparing them to tackle large-scale problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline.

Organized in a hub and satellite structure, CORC has also excellent test facilities at Aarhus University’s Foulum site to develop and conduct pilot-scale technology demonstrations.

Major research approaches

The major research approaches that integrate life and chemical sciences include, but are not limited to:

• Direct CO₂ capture from air
• Microbial/chemical conversion of CO₂ to C1-8 compounds
• Homogeneous, heterogeneous, and enzyme catalysis for CO₂ capture and conversions
• Electrochemical reductions of CO₂ and CO₂-derived multi-carbon compounds
• Novel carbonate (bio)chemistries for CO₂ capture and conversion

These core elements of the center’s chemical and life sciences are complemented by strong systems analyses. Moreover, various teams of interdisciplinary researchers are formed around diverse subtopics of CO₂ capture and conversion, uniquely combining the aforementioned expertise.