About EERG

The Energy and Environment Research Group (EERG-Calgary) is led by Dr. Nader Mahinpey, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary. The research program for EERG - Calgary is focused on promoting the scientific advancement of clean energy and green engineering. An understanding of global energy usage patterns, energy conservation, and the environmental impacts associated with the production and use of energy are very important in order to achieve sustainable development. Energy and environment are the primary research themes of this team of dedicated Post Docs, PhDs and Master students. The expertise and current research interests involve the application of chemical engineering fundamentals such as reaction engineering, kinetics, and mass transfer to energy and environment fields. The Objective of the research consists of Greenhouse Gas Control Technology, Renewable Energy, Biofuel and Bioenergy, Gasification, Pyrolysis, and Biochemical Conversion.

Our strategy is to apply the chemical engineering principles to various energy and environmental issues. We have built a large team of top graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are dedicated to the objectives of our projects, perform innovative research, establish partnerships and international collaborations. Our strategy to tackle and solve energy and environmental problems has been materialized by research activities through the support of Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE), provincial and federal government, and industry.

RECENT ACTIVITIES

CO₂ CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY
PARTNER: Carbon Management Canada (CMC-NCE)
Transformative changes are needed in the Canadian and global energy systems to quickly and deeply cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to mitigate climate change, and to ensure secure, reliable energy supplies. Incremental improvements will not be sufficient; a step-change is required that includes innovative new technologies, insights, policies, business practices and new human resource skills. A challenge of this complexity and magnitude requires a focused, strategic and collaborative national effort. To this end, we have been actively involved in two projects: 1) Integrated Gasification and Looping CO2 Capture, and 2) Fluidized Bed Catalytic Gasification of Low-Grade Coals and Petcoke.

BIOFUEL & BIOENERGY
The growing shortage of fossil fuels has fostered a growing interest in alternative energy sources. Canadians look to the scientific community to develop energy opportunities from other resources. They expect thsese sources to be environmentally sustainable while contributing to reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the long term. Biomass, is one of the largest sources of energy resources in the world, third only to coal and oil. We have employed thermochemical and biochemical conversion to study the kinetics of reactions. Our bio-butanol fermentation project is supported by Canada School of Energy and Environment (CSEE). Reaction Modeling of the Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Petroleum Coke This research activity has been initiated through our collaboration with a second NCE; Sustainable Technologies for Energy Production Systems (STEPS). Petroleum coke is a viable candidate for use as a feedstock for the pyrolysis, gasification or co-gasification process with biomass or coal.? A thorough chemical reaction model for the dynamic behaviour of pyrolysis and combustion of coke would facilitate the development of the gasification/co-gasification technology. The underlying objective of this research is to develop a reaction model for coke pyrolysis and gasification based on the experimental data obtained under various operating conditions.

WASTE MANAGEMENT & CONVERSION
Our group's work in waste treatment research advances environmentally friendly, techniques that facilitate the conversion of a variety of wastes to value-added compounds. Working with industry we are facilitating the use of these processes commercially. Sub and supercritical water hydrolysis, oxidation, and decomposition reactions have been widely utilized for the conversion of agricultural, petroleum, and chemical wastes. We work directly with industry to provide practical solutions to different waste issues. One of our partners, Palko Environmental LTD., has formed a Technical Advisory Group. This group is acting as an innovation forum to assess and apply leading edge treatment technologies and processes to oilfield wastes. Dr. Mahinpey serves on this Technical Advisory Group.

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