CEO of Concordia’s Volt-Age presents Canada’s emission reduction goals at Stanford
Karim Zaghib (third from the left) poses with team from the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center, including Jagjit Nanda (first on the left), executive director of the lab.
Karim Zaghib, Concordia professor of chemical and materials engineering and CEO of the university’s Volt-Age research program, took centre stage at Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California on February 26. He presented the program’s role leading Canada’s decarbonization and electrification efforts to a notable group of academics, policymakers and early-career researchers.
Zaghib outlined how Volt-Age is spearheading Canada’s vision to reduce emissions by 40 to 50 per cent by 2030, aligning with the country’s aspirational net-zero goal for 2050.
“In the quest for a sustainable future, global collaboration is not just a choice but an imperative,” Zaghib said after the event. “As we strive to achieve ambitious emission reduction targets and work towards a net-zero world, it is essential for nations and researchers to join forces.”
Among those present were Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Prize laureate in physics and former United States Secretary of Energy in the Obama administration, Jennifer Granholm, current U.S. Secretary of Energy, and Jagjit Nanda, executive director of the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center.
The discussion covered critical topics such as the electrification of society, rechargeable lithium batteries and CO2 capture, highlighting the dynamic intersection of academia and industry.
Reflecting on the discussion, Zaghib emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary partnerships and knowledge exchange in advancing scientific frontiers.
“After this well-received event in the U.S., we are hoping to soon host academics from Stanford and other leading universities around the world at Concordia to benefit from their vast experience and knowledge in renewable energies and the battery industry,” he says.
“The international attempt to deploy renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources knows no borders, and we can achieve our goals for a greener future only through collaboration between scientists from all parts of the world.”
Learn more about Volt-Age.