• CERAWEEK
  • March 10 - 14, 2025

Julio Friedmann

Carbon Direct

Chief Scientist & Chief Carbon Wrangler

Dr. Julio Friedmann is Chief Scientist and Chief Carbon Wrangler at Carbon Direct. He recently served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy where he was responsible for DOE’s R&D program in advanced fossil energy systems, carbon capture, and storage (CCS), CO2 utilization, and clean coal deployment. More recently, he was a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, where he led the Carbon Management Research Initiative. He has held positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including Chief Energy Technologist, where he worked for 15 years. Dr. Friedmann is one of the most widely known and authoritative experts in the U.S. on carbon removal (CO2 drawdown from the air and oceans), CO2 conversion and use (carbon-to-value), hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, and carbon capture and sequestration. In addition to close partnerships with many private companies, NGOs, Julio has worked with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and government agencies foreign and domestic. His expertise also includes oil and gas production, international clean energy engagements, and earth science. Dr. Friedmann received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by a Ph.D. in Geology at the University of Southern California. He worked for five years as a senior research scientist at ExxonMobil, then as a research scientist at the University of Maryland. 

Sessions With Julio Friedmann

Monday, 9 March

  • 01:00pm - 01:50pm (CST) / -

    Getting to Net-zero with Direct Air Capture

    Climate & Sustainability Innovation & Technology

    Although the concept of direct air capture is simple, removing a gas that makes up less than 1% of the atmosphere is a major challenge. Interest and activity have accelerated recently, with backing from major investors including venture capital and oil and gas companies. What contribution might direct air capture make by 2050? Which technologies are most promising? Can direct air capture succeed without carbon pricing?

Tuesday, 10 March

  • 10:30am - 11:20am (CST) / -

    CCUS Emerging Business Models

    Climate & Sustainability Clean Tech

    Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is seen as vital in 2C scenarios. Yet, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), the most widespread utilization and storage option, draws most of its CO2 from existing reservoirs and not from emissions. While there is potential for large-scale implementation of CCUS, many challenges impede this. Today, the list of CO2 sourcing, capture, utilization, and storage options is expanding, and new technology could further reduce costs. What business models will allow these new options? How will they drive scale?