This text is part of the special Research section: climate issues
The Quebec research community can count on researchers from all over the world. The Brazilian Bruna Rego de Vasconcelos is one of these academics who decided to continue their work in Quebec. His goal ? Get the province to get rid of its fossil fuels once and for all.
When she set down in Quebec for the first time in January 2017, two things struck the South American: the amount of snow on the ground and the links between the Quebec research community and the industrial sector. Quickly, the warm welcome she received from the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS) made her forget the hazards of the weather.
“I really liked how research was done here,” she recalls. “The collaboration between the industrial and university sectors makes it possible to develop solutions to concrete problems. In Brazil, for example, the academic world and the industrial world do not speak to each other. »
Six winters, and a lot of snow shoveling later, the holder of a doctorate in process and environmental engineering is now dedicated to researching new ways to produce biofuels based on renewable materials.
“Since my doctorate, I have always worked on the same major theme of the conversion of greenhouse gases and the production of clean fuels,” she explains in impeccable French.
Recycle CO2
After developing her expertise in Brazil and France for almost a decade, the postdoctoral researcher specialized in Power-to-X technology. One of its applications is to use CO2 (the main greenhouse gas) and renewable electricity to produce green fuels.
The Icelandic company Carbon Recycling International, a leading figure in the field, has been using this process to create green methanol since 2012. For Bruna Rego de Vasconcelos, this new method is a major step towards decarbonization, because it reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
“The advantage of these green fuels (also called synthetic) is that we can use them to replace fossil energy-based fuels,” she adds. Also, these new fuels could help [à décarboner] certain sectors such as aviation, which cannot count on electrification at the moment. »
Power-to-X, a relatively recent field, but much more developed in Europe, particularly in Germany, is one of the keys to the energy transition according to her. But be careful, the researcher wants to be pragmatic.
“It’s not a miracle solution, but one of the ingredients for a successful transition,” she adds. In addition, the obstacles to this technology are still evident, such as production costs which mean that green fuels cannot be priced competitively with fossil fuels. Industries are not yet ready to invest in research and development in this area. It’s very much about money. »
Out of sight, but close to the heart
Even though Bruna Rego de Vasconcelos left her native country more than ten years ago, it is obvious that Brazil has never left her head and heart. She admits that the distance from her family and friends is the most complicated aspect of her Quebec life.
“The hardest thing is being away from home,” she says without hesitation. But I really love the work I do at the University of Sherbrooke, I feel fulfilled professionally and personally, Quebec has become my second home. I go back to Brazil once a year, that also helps a lot. »
When asked about ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, known among other things for his aversion to environmental groups and the acceleration of deforestation of the Amazon during his mandate, the smile of the friendly researcher fades for the first time of the interview.
“It was four years of horror, really,” she sighs. The government has changed, we will see if the country can recover from it in the coming years. That’s the thing about Brazil, it’s a beautiful country, with immense environmental and energy potential, but very unstable politically. In research, investments are never guaranteed. »
According to Bruna Rego de Vasconcelos, it is precisely Canada’s political and social stability that makes it a popular destination for researchers from all over the world. Conditions which could prove decisive in the face of the titanic challenge represented by the energy transition.
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