ECR Alumni Case Study – Abdul’Aziz Aliyu

What did you study at university?

I hold a bachelor’s degree (BSc) in geology from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi, Nigeria, which provided me with a sound foundation in the earth sciences. I subsequently obtained a master’s degree (MSc) in Energy and Environment at the University of Leeds, UK, and went on to earn a doctorate (PhD) at the University of Sheffield, UK, where I undertook research on post-combustion capture for combined cycle gas turbines.

During my doctoral research, I conducted a spectrum of process modelling and experimental studies at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Capture Technology pilot facilities, now the Translational Energy Research Centre (TERC). I worked on the fully instrumented one-tonne-per-day capture plant to optimise the process and reduce the solvent regeneration energy requirement, an experience that was technically demanding and highly rewarding.

That’s great. When did you finish your PhD?

After having fulfilled the requirements prescribed by the University of Sheffield, I was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2021. I was fortunate to have completed most of my experimental campaigns just before the Covid pandemic and was able to use the data already collected for my thesis.

What did you go on to do when you finished your PhD?

Shortly after completing my PhD, I joined the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas (IEAGHG) Research and Development Programme as a Technology Analyst. My portfolio includes designing, scoping and managing technical studies with a focus on hydrogen and industrial carbon capture. I manage relationships with a number of International Energy Agency (IEA) Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs) and coordinate the activities of the International CCS Cost Network. Further, I serve on the steering committee for IEAGHG’s Post Combustion Capture Conference (PCCC) series and co-organise the Future Leaders Forum at the Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT) Conference series, which I am particularly passionate about, as it provides a platform for early career professionals and emerging leaders to share their aspirations, thoughts and perspectives on the role of CCS as a key decarbonisation pathway.

During your career journey, how did you engage with the UKCCSRC?

My first engagement with the UKCCSRC was the Early Career Researchers (ECRs) CCS Winter School in 2017, which was hosted by the University of Nottingham. It marked my first exposure to the broader CCS community and provided a exciting platform for me and the wider ECRs to network, share insights and gain a comprehensive understanding of the CCS value chain. I still have good memories from that first event and have kept in touch with some of my peers, who have also moved on and now work in leading CCS organisations across the world. Since then, I participated in nearly every UKCCSRC conferences during my Sheffield days. They are a great opportunity for knowledge exchange with peers and industry leaders, and to step out of my research bubble and gain a better appreciation of the work being done across the entire value chain.

An early career milestone in my CCS journey for me was the five-day training course in June 2018, at the pilot scale advanced capture technology (PACT) facilities, sponsored by the UKCCSRC. We received training on low carbon combustion technologies and a solvent based capture plant, which led on to hands on research experience in CO₂ capture during my PhD. This practical expertise, gained through experimental work at the PACT facilities, equipped me with the technical skills to transition into my current role at IEAGHG.

Another pivotal moment was UKCCSRC sponsorship of my travel to the IEAGHG International CCS Summer School in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 2019. This intensive five-day programme offered a technical, economic and environmental deep dive into the CCS value chain, through group work and lectures by a cohort of international subject matter experts. We also visited the Boundary Dam CCS project, a commercial scale CCS facility on a coal fired power station, which was an incredible experience for me, providing valuable insights into the scale and complexity of real-world CCS deployment. It felt a bit surreal, and a real privilege, to return to the IEAGHG CCS Summer School six years later, in 2025, but this time on the organising side, being part of the team supporting the next generation of CCS professionals at the very event that had once shaped my own personal journey. It was deeply rewarding and a full cycle moment that underscored the value of long-term support networks like the UKCCSRC and IEAGHG, which equip early career professionals to build, deepen and advance their expertise.

Why did you decide to go for your role at IEAGHG (apart from all the great things mentioned so far)?

I gravitated towards this position because it offers a meaningfully way to support the global climate agenda through practical, evidence-based CCS solutions. At IEAGHG, I have the privilege of working on technical studies that address key barriers to the development and deployment of carbon capture technologies. I find it rewarding to collaborate internationally, engage with multidisciplinary experts, and help generate knowledge that informs real world policy and investment decisions. Through my coordination of initiatives like the CCS Cost Network, and my involvement in technical platforms under the IEAGHG technology collaboration programmes, I contribute to improving the transparency, credibility and deployment potential of CCS as a climate mitigation pathway. I also enjoy supporting early career professionals through international panel discussions such as the Future Leaders Forum.

That’s fantastic.  Do you have any other thoughts about CCS that you’d like to share – its present, its future, any concerns?

So, I think it is important to acknowledge that a significant percentage of the global power and industrial sectors are still powered by fossil fuels today. This reality underscores the role of CCS as a key decarbonisation pathway, supported by a wide range of mature and emerging capture technologies. CCS is gaining momentum as a cornerstone of net zero strategies, and as projects are deployed, the learnings gained, coupled with targeted policy interventions, will help to continue solidify CCS’s role as a major decarbonisation pathway.

A key concern is the impact of capacity factors on CCS project economics, particularly as fossil power plants face reduced utilisation with increasing renewable energy penetration. Future policy mechanisms such as preferential dispatch for low carbon electricity from capture equipped plants, could improve the financial viability. By recognising CCS plants as providers of clean power, policymakers can strengthen the business case for CCS and scalable, long-term deployment aligned with global climate goals.

So, on this note: “Keep Calm and Capture On!”