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Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

The conflict of interest policy of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (http://www.nationalacademies.org/coi) prohibits the appointment of an individual to a committee authoring a Consensus Study Report if the individual has a conflict of interest that is relevant to the task to be performed. An exception to this prohibition is permitted if the National Academies determine that the conflict is unavoidable and the conflict is publicly disclosed. A determination of a conflict of interest for an individual is not an assessment of that individual’s actual behavior or character or ability to act objectively despite the conflicting interest.

Makini Byron has a conflict of interest in relation to her service on the Committee on Assessing Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets, Research and Development because of her employment at Linde, an industrial gas company that separates and purifies CO₂ and sells it to other companies for conversion into valuable products. The National Academies have concluded that the committee must include a member with current industry experience in managing the link between the commercial sources of the carbon dioxide—including the processes for capturing the carbon dioxide and the costs and quality of the carbon dioxide obtained—and the current and emerging markets for this carbon dioxide, including the quality requirements, cost requirements, and the potential quantities that might be utilized. As described in her biographical summary, Byron has extensive industry experience in understanding the innovation and costs of carbon dioxide capture and the use of this carbon dioxide in products. Byron has managed or participated in several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded projects for both the commercial engineering design and the scale-up demonstration of Linde’s carbon capture technology developed with BASF. Her project-based knowledge also extends to the biological conversion of CO₂ to valuable products, the mineralization of CO₂ to cementitious material, and the application of supercritical CO₂ for lubrication and cooling. The National Academies have determined that the experience and expertise of Byron are needed for the committee to accomplish the task for which it has been established. The National Academies could not find another available individual with the equivalent expertise and breadth of experience who does not have a conflict of interest. Therefore, the National Academies have concluded that the conflict is unavoidable. The National Academies believe that Byron can serve effectively as a member of the committee, and the committee can produce an objective report, taking into account the composition of the committee, the work to be performed, and the procedures to be followed in completing the study.

Stephen Comello has a conflict of interest in relation to his service on the Committee on Assessing Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets, Research and Development because of his technical consulting with Carbon Direct, a company that invests in carbon removal and utilization technologies, and his role as an external advisor

to energy practice at the consulting firm Bain & Company. The National Academies have concluded that, given the study’s focus on market opportunities for carbon dioxide–derived products and carbon utilization technologies, it is essential to have a committee member with current experience in financing methods, business models, and decision-making strategies that enable the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. As described in his biographical summary, Comello possesses a unique combination of technology and economic expertise. Comello integrates tools and approaches from engineering, finance, and systems analysis to develop methodologies for analyzing investments and innovations in low-carbon energy solutions. His expertise spans an array of business analytical skills, including environmental economics, decision analysis, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic evaluation for advanced clean energy technologies. As a technical adviser to Carbon Direct, Comello brings an understanding of the technological and organizational capabilities of startup companies in carbon utilization, which is critical for addressing the committee’s task of determining how federal agencies can support small business to further the development and deployment of carbon dioxide–based products. The National Academies have determined that the experience and expertise of Comello are needed for the committee to accomplish the task for which it has been established. The National Academies could not find another available individual with the equivalent expertise and breadth of experience who does not have a conflict of interest. Therefore, the National Academies have concluded that the conflict is unavoidable. The National Academies believe that Comello can serve effectively as a member of the committee, and the committee can produce an objective report, taking into account the composition of the committee, the work to be performed, and the procedures to be followed in completing the study.

Ah-Hyung (Alissa) Park has a conflict of interest in relation to her service on the Committee on Assessing Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets, Research and Development because of her equity in the startup company GreenOre CleanTech, LLC. Park is a co-founder of GreenOre, which focuses on carbon capture and process design, using carbon dioxide and other waste streams to generate valuable products. The National Academies have concluded that, given the rapidly accelerating developments in the science, engineering, and commercialization of carbon utilization technologies, it is essential to have a committee member with current experience in basic research activities and knowledge of the opportunities and processes for technology scale-up in this field. As described in her biographical summary, Park has an active research program spanning many topics relevant to the study, including CO₂ mineralization, materials for CO₂ capture and gas separations, chemical CO₂ conversion, and clean hydrogen production. In addition to her experience as an expert and leader in carbon capture and utilization research, her experience with GreenOre translating academic research into a startup company makes her expertise a critical addition to this committee. The National Academies have determined that the experience and expertise of Park are needed for the committee to accomplish the task for which it has been established. The National Academies could not find another available individual with the equivalent expertise and breadth of experience who does not have a conflict of interest. Therefore, the National Academies have concluded that the conflict is unavoidable. The National Academies believe that Park can serve effectively as a member of the committee, and the committee can produce an objective report, taking into account the composition of the committee, the work to be performed, and the procedures to be followed in completing the study.

Joseph Powell has a conflict of interest in relation to his service on the Committee on Assessing Carbon Utilization Infrastructure, Markets, Research and Development because of his stock in Royal Dutch Shell, plc. The National Academies have concluded that the committee must include a member with recent experience and expertise in the chemical fuels industry with an understanding of the industrial and process engineering involved in producing such fuels and potentially adapting existing infrastructure for utilizing captured carbon dioxide in products. As described in his biographical summary, Powell has had extensive experience in development, scale-up, and commercialization of existing and new technologies. He also has industrial systems expertise that is vital to address the committee’s task of assessing infrastructure and research and development needs to support a future circular carbon economy. The National Academies have determined that the experience and expertise of Powell are needed for the committee to accomplish the task for which it has been established. The National Academies could not find another available individual with the equivalent expertise and breadth of experience who does not have a conflict of interest. Therefore, the National Academies have concluded that the conflict is unavoidable. The National Academies believe that Powell can serve effectively as a member of the committee, and the committee can produce an objective report, taking into account the composition of the committee, the work to be performed, and the procedures to be followed in completing the study.