Even when facing technical complexities and public skepticism, a cleaner future remains a powerful motivator. Firuz Philip discusses what keeps him motivated when facing challenges associated with the clean energy transition. He also highlights the role of carbon capture in achieving climate targets for global industries beyond 2050.

How do you stay motivated and resilient when facing the complex challenges of the clean energy transition?

What keeps me motivated is knowing that my work in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) directly supports global decarbonization goals. CCUS is a key part of the solution—especially for hard-to-abate industries like cement and steel, but also for the power sector, which will still rely on fossil fuels for a significant share of global energy beyond 2050.

Even the IEA’s net-zero scenarios show that fossil fuels could still account for over 50% of primary energy in some regions, particularly where renewables can’t yet meet reliability or scale needs. That makes carbon capture critical—not optional—if we’re serious about meeting the Paris Agreement targets.

So when the work gets tough—whether it’s technical roadblocks, long development timelines, or public skepticism—I remind myself that we’re helping build one of the few viable bridges between today’s energy reality and a cleaner, more stable future. That sense of purpose keeps me focused and resilient.

What is one of the biggest challenges or misconceptions about carbon capture, and how are you working to address it at Delta?

One of the biggest misconceptions about carbon capture is that it’s merely a “license to pollute”—a means for emitters to delay genuine climate action. At Delta, we actively work to counter this by integrating CCUS into broader decarbonization strategies rather than using it in isolation.

We focus on energy optimization, including heat recovery and efficient solvent systems, to minimize the energy penalty and enhance overall system performance. Our goal is to make carbon capture both environmentally and economically viable, particularly for sectors such as power and industry, which will continue to rely on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

By demonstrating that CCS can be efficient, scalable, and part of a credible net-zero pathway, we’re shifting the narrative from skepticism to real-world impact.

Can you share a “win” or a moment of success that made you feel like you were making a real difference?

Absolutely. A defining moment for me was commissioning a real CO₂ capture plant last September—a demonstration-scale project I had been involved with from design through construction.

Seeing it come online and watching CO₂ being captured from flue gas in real time was incredibly fulfilling. It validated months of engineering work and proved that our system could perform reliably under real-world conditions.

More importantly, it reinforced that carbon capture is not just theoretical—it’s happening now, and I’m directly contributing to a scalable solution that supports deep decarbonization. That moment really drove home the impact of our work and reminded me why I chose this field.