The Many Facets of Carbon Containment with Dr. Puneet Chhabra, Yale School of Management '24

Dr. Puneet Chhabra is a Principal at the Carbon Containment Lab, which recently spun out of the Yale School of the Environment. His PhD in chemical engineering and graduation from the Yale School of Management’s Executive MBA program lined up at the perfect time for Puneet to share his expertise and enter the climate space in a direct, meaningful way.

If you were speaking to someone unfamiliar with the Carbon Containment Lab, how would you describe your work?

We’re a nonprofit organization with a team dedicated to fighting climate change through diverse skillsets. We tackle this complex issue by exploring practical solutions that address various intersecting systems - economics, ecology, engineering, geology, and policy. Each of us is passionate about climate solutions, and together, we’re testing underexplored or overlooked ideas to see if they’re viable. Our goal is to accelerate these solutions and prepare them for wider implementation.

How does the Carbon Containment Lab approach the balance between conducting critical scientific research and working with industry to implement containment solutions?

Tackling climate change requires two approaches: a “marathon” and a “sprint.” The marathon involves changing core systems - energy, chemical, and beyond - to gradually draw down carbon dioxide. The sprint addresses short-term challenges from gases with shorter atmospheric lifespans, like refrigerants and methane, that operate on timescales of a decade or less.

Meeting these immediate and long-term challenges requires a systems perspective. This means we need partnerships that address both present needs and long-term goals, including collaborations with policymakers, landowners, indigenous communities, venture capital, and nonprofits. Industry plays a significant role in driving technical solutions, but these other stakeholders are essential to accelerate the transition. For example, if we’re considering burying carbon dioxide, we need geological analyses of potential sites and to understand the land ownership - whether it’s private, public, or tribal land. Each scenario requires a unique strategy and buy-in from various parties.

That makes sense. Public perception around carbon containment shifted significantly in recent years. What would you say to a member of the public who might be skeptical of carbon containment as a climate solution?

Carbon containment goes beyond simply trapping carbon dioxide somewhere. It involves a wide array of pathways to prevent greenhouse gases from polluting the atmosphere. These methods include both natural systems, like reforestation, and human-engineered systems that recycle or repurpose gases. Some people may associate carbon containment with purely industrial solutions, but it’s broader than that. For instance, reforesting areas and managing forest waste are also part of containment by keeping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. So, carbon containment isn’t only about burying carbon dioxide - it’s about improving processes and creating a sustainable cycle.

Another example is our work on refrigerant recycling. Refrigerants, found in HVAC systems and refrigerators, are powerful greenhouse gases. Currently, there’s limited infrastructure for recycling them, which often results in their release into the atmosphere when products containing them are disposed of. We’re working to develop this recycling infrastructure, which would allow us to retain these gases in a controlled cycle rather than emitting them.

Can you tell me about a project you’re especially excited about at the lab?

One project we’re leading is focused on refrigerant recycling, which is becoming critical as global temperatures rise and demand for air conditioning increases, especially in hotter regions. We’re also working on developing “woody biomass burial” as a carbon storage method, which involves burying biomass like wood or biochar to prevent decomposition and retain its carbon content. Our research examines decomposition rates and the potential of this process to keep carbon out of the atmosphere. These projects are exciting because they offer innovative, scalable solutions that can make a real difference.