Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen

About Us

The Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), established in 2019 at Khalifa University, is devoted to deploying effective and innovative solutions for decarbonization and sustainable fuels. RICH is the only dedicated center in the Country, and the first one in the Region, focused on carbon capture, utilization and storage, hydrogen and its derivatives, and sustainable fuels.

We intend to be central point for research, development, innovation, technology transfer and awareness in these topics in the UAE and beyond, irradiating this expertise to the rest of the world, by fostering innovation, multidisciplinary collaborations and knowledge exchange, while serving the Country and the world to achieve the net-zero strategies, addressing sustainable development goals and industrial needs, educating highly skilled scientists and engineers, and contributing to diversify the economy.

RICH collaborates with industrial partners, government agencies, and international research institutions to contribute to the development and deployment of these technologies.


Mission Vision Impacts

The goal of the RICH center is to deploy solutions for clean energy and sustainable fuels, contributing to achieving the net-zero goals. The vision of the RICH Center is to become a world-leading Research and Innovation Center in the use of combined modeling-experimental approaches for the development and deployment of solutions for decarbonization, clean energy and sustainable fuels, centered in three main areas: CO2 capture, utilization and storage, low-carbon hydrogen production and applications, and sustainable fuels.

The mission of the RICH Center is to carry out state-of-the-art research and innovation, generate intellectual property, pursue knowledge exchange and transfer, and education in carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and sustainable fuels, to contribute to deploying clean energy and sustainable fuels, achieving net-zero emissions, diversifying the economy of the UAE, and educating future generations.

Impact:

  • Deliver high quality research and innovative solutions in CCUS, Hydrogen and sustainable fuels, to increase the visibility and impact of KU.
  • Develop and implement low-carbon energy systems reducing CO2 and GHG emissions.
  • Produce high-added-value products from CO2 and large-scale uses of CO2 with final users that will help diversify the economy.
  • Address the industry needs in the hard-to-abate sectors by deploying decarbonization and hydrogen solutions.
  • Develop sustainable fuels from CO2, hydrogen, waste (agricultural and municipal solid waste) and biological processes, based on the concept of circular economy.
  • Provide science-based consultancy to the government agencies supporting the deployment of the hydrogen strategy for the UAE and the net zero roadmap.
  • Support UAE’s involvement in the Paris Innovation Missions and other international collaboration such as Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), the Institute of Energy Economics of Japan (IEEJ) and bilateral agreements centered on hydrogen, CCUS and/or sustainable fuels.
  • Reinforce and expand international collaborations of organizations working in the field.
  • Train highly skilled scientists and engineers in clean energy, hydrogen and new technologies related to sustainable fuels.
  • Provide educated information and awareness to society about CCUS, hydrogen and sustainable fuels in the context of net zero emissions.

Center Leadership
Prof. lourdes vega Professor, Director, Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), Acting Senior Director, Petroleum Institute
Prof. giovanni palmisano Professor, Deputy Director of the Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen
Dr. ahmed alhajaj Assistant Professor
Dr. dimitrios kyritsis Professor, Department Chair
Dr. maryam khaleel Assistant Professor