The transition towards a more sustainable industry and the fight against climate change require innovative technological solutions and close collaboration between the business and academic worlds. In this context, GasN2, a Catalan company founded in 2009 and led by chemical engineer Oriol Martínez (IQS), has become a leading player in the development of technologies for the generation of industrial gases in situ and, more recently, in the capture and valorization of carbon dioxide.
Since its inception, GasN2 has firmly committed to R&D as a driver of growth and differentiation. A key element in this strategy has been its continued participation in the Industrial Doctorate Plan of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Through several projects in collaboration with prestigious research centers such as the Sarrià Chemical Institute ( IQS ), GasN2 has not only developed pioneering technologies, such as its CO₂ capture system using Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA), but has also explored innovative ways for its reuse in the food industry and the production of chemical products and synthetic fuels. These projects reflect a constant evolution, from efficient capture to the creation of value from a greenhouse gas.
In this interview, Oriol Martínez shares his vision on the crucial role of innovation, the necessary symbiosis between university and business, and the challenges and opportunities posed by sustainability in the industrial sector.
"We are not here to make money. We are here to solve the problems of the planet."
– What do you do at GasN2?
– GasN2 is a company focused on providing solutions to the planet's sustainability problems. We work in the world of gases: we manufacture machines that we install in customers' homes to produce different gases, such as nitrogen and oxygen.
Thanks to the industrial doctorate, which we will discuss later, we apply the same technology. We have equipment that captures flue gases from boilers or different emission points. We separate the gases that are clean and already present in the atmosphere. We keep the carbon dioxide, concentrate it through a pressure process and give it other uses. In addition, we have technologies to manufacture cold, heat pumps and drying systems for food, chemical and fine chemical products.
– How did the opportunity to do an industrial doctorate arise?
– At that time, we were very concerned about the global problem of CO₂ capture. The solutions we found on the market were not viable, since they generated more environmental impact than directly emitting CO₂. We thought it would be interesting to apply the technology we already used to manufacture nitrogen to capture CO₂. We saw the possibility of doing it, but we lacked knowledge and personnel.
In a conversation with the Sarrià Chemical Institute (IQS), they suggested that we opt for an industrial doctorate. They introduced us to Àngel, a person who could lead this challenge, and it became clear to us that we could successfully connect the two realities: research and practical application. Thus began our first project in this field.
– What advantages has the industrial doctorate brought you and how has it positioned you in your sector?
– The industrial doctorate has allowed us to position ourselves at the state of the technological art. It has given us access to all the knowledge that exists in the university, a very deep knowledge that is far beyond what is usually available in the company. Companies know that this knowledge exists, but it is very difficult for us to access it.
Through the industrial doctorate, we have established real links that have opened the door for us to develop new technologies. This gives us the opportunity to apply all this knowledge to develop new technologies.
There is a very curious situation in the university-business relationship: companies need to generate value, give value, and universities do not. Therefore, universities do research, and they do basic research, but they do not seek to validate this research. On the other hand, companies need this knowledge and we can give it value. Therefore, being able to put companies and universities in contact is very important to start giving value to all this knowledge.
"The big social problem is not just capturing CO₂; [...] once you've captured it you have to know what to do with it."
– What is the relationship with the university like throughout the different projects?
– A lot has changed, but GasN2 has also changed a lot. At the beginning, we were a very small company, and investing in an Industrial Doctorate was doing it with the only technology that we believed could be a technology of the future.
That was the first stone to build an entire structure, to invest in the development of new technologies, new applications, new products, which are very important.
Today we have 65 R&D projects underway and we have 120 employees, of which 25 are part of the innovation team. The industrial doctorate was the origin of this transformation. It made it possible for our stakeholders to understand research as a fundamental asset for growth. And not only for us: this approach is key for any company with a future vocation.
– And what does the University provide you specifically?
– The university provides us with specialized and rigorous knowledge, and what the company does is add value to it. Companies transform this knowledge into applicable and useful solutions for the market. In the end, universities develop knowledge, develop know-how , but they do not reach the market, this development does not reach it. Because many times all this development will not provide added value to the market, to those who need this technology. In addition, the companies that provide solutions, that provide services to the market, know how we can transform this technology into something that the client needs and is willing to pay for this technology.
– What role does the figure of the doctor play within the company?
– In the end, the doctor, apart from the title, what he or she has is an excellence in knowledge. He or she knows how knowledge is acquired and is closer to scientific truth than any other profile.
When a company wants to develop cutting-edge technology, the person who can provide this differential knowledge is, precisely, a doctor. They are at the highest level of knowledge and this allows them to open paths that other profiles cannot approach.
– Can you give us specific examples of the results of your projects and how they contribute to current socioeconomic challenges?
– We have recently implemented one of the first technologies that allows us to capture CO₂ from boiler emissions and reuse it within the same production process of a plant. It is a clear case of circular economy: CO₂ that was previously lost to the atmosphere is now used as a resource. This solution has been installed at the Reixach company, and they are very satisfied, not only for the environmental benefits, but also for the economic savings. This is a great and very interesting application. Being able to capture CO₂ in the same production processes…
Another example is the project with the Teresa Carles Flax & Kale group, which produces kombucha. We are installing a system that will capture the CO₂ from their boiler, used to generate steam in the production process, and this CO₂ will be reused to carbonate the drinks. The gas, which would otherwise have been released into the atmosphere, is fixed within the final product. When consumed, this CO₂ is converted into calcium carbonate. It is an innovative and useful way to fix carbon in the life cycle of products.
– What are your future projects?
– Our future is totally linked to sustainability. Every day, at GasN2, we work thinking about how to make the planet more sustainable, and this inevitably happens through CO₂. Thanks to the industrial doctorate, we have managed to develop the most efficient technology on the market to capture it. But the big social problem is not capturing CO₂; we do it very efficiently, but once you have captured it you have to know what you do with this CO₂.
The real challenge is what we do with this CO₂. Injecting it underground may be an option, but it is not a viable solution on a large scale. Every year 52 billion tons of CO₂ are emitted into the atmosphere, which is outrageous. So we have to look for viable, scalable and useful alternatives. So all the technologies that are being developed from now on are to respond to the fact that we will do it now that we know how to capture it and we know that we are capturing it efficiently.
Let me give you a quick example. Right now, let's think about capturing a ton of CO₂... to understand, a car emits 100 grams of CO₂ for every kilometer it travels. So, we're talking about a lot. To capture a ton of CO₂, the cost that GasN2 has achieved is around 30 euros. That's very low. So, capturing is not the problem. Anyone who emits will be able to capture it. And we're talking about companies that are emitting millions of tons of CO₂. Perfect, and when you have a million tons captured, what do you do with a million tons captured of this CO₂? At GasN2 we are developing technologies to transform this captured CO₂ into useful products such as methanol or ethylene. With these compounds we can manufacture resins, plastics and other materials for everyday use. These products become "green" because they are derived directly from the recovered CO₂. This opens a path towards a real and transformative circular economy.
– What do you think the university can contribute to these future projects?
– When you have the idea and you know the social need – and this is our job, to find who will be willing to pay to apply this, to apply these technologies –, you need excellence in developing this technology. It is not enough to have the idea. The most difficult thing is to develop it, to carry it out, to make it work. This idea has to be grounded, it has to be given color. You have to make this technology work, make it robust, and with that the university helps us.
The university also helps us with the components we need: what type of machine we need, which membrane is best for capturing certain compounds, which technology is optimal for producing hydrogen, etc.
Although we have a very powerful R&D team, made up of 25 people, we cannot do it alone. We need the in-depth knowledge that only a university can offer, especially in very specific areas such as hydrogen or advanced gas separation systems.
– From the company's point of view, are publications during research seen as a risk or an opportunity?
– I will give you a very personal opinion. Patents are useful for those who have a single idea. But the industry has evolved a lot. We can no longer continue to think that a technology should be exclusive property and inaccessible to the rest. Especially in the field of sustainability, technologies should be made public and available to everyone.
Publish? And so much! The more the better. If another company can do it better than us, go ahead. The goal is not to make money at any cost, but to provide real solutions to the planet's problems. Naturally, companies must be economically viable, but the ultimate meaning of a company is to leave a positive mark on the world.
We specifically have patented the CO₂ equipment, we have other patents, but probably if there were an application that needed our technology to be more efficient, and the company that brought this technology needed our technology, we would probably be willing to give it away. Obviously, you would have to look at everything: how they do it, the costs, to contribute something good to the planet. Now, patents allow you to publish with peace of mind and, at the same time, have some control over how that technology will be used. It is essential that the use that is made of it is ethical and beneficial to society.
"If you don't do an industrial doctorate, if you don't invest in innovation, you're thinking about when and how you're going to close your company."
– What is your opinion on the internationalization of industrial doctoral students?
– Our generation has seen Europe lose its weight in the global context. Today there are two major global poles: the United States, leaders in technology, and China, leader in manufacturing. And Europe? It is a pioneer in regulation. This is not enough. To regain a relevant position in the technological field, a close and effective relationship between university and business is needed, as is the case in the United States.
Therefore, answering your question, internationalization will only happen if we are at the state of the art of technology. It is very clear. We will not be able to compete with China in manufacturing or with the United States in innovation if we do not strengthen this collaboration. And this is key to internationalizing research. We will only be able to position ourselves at the state of the art if there is real, fluid and innovation-oriented knowledge transfer. I insist, we will only be able to do this if we are able to have a good relationship between university and business. And if we continue as we have been doing until now, I assure you that we will not be able to compete and we will disappear.
– Would you recommend that companies do industrial doctorates?
– Completely. Because if you don't, your company has no future, if you don't do an industrial doctorate, if you don't invest in innovation, you start thinking about when and how you're going to close your company. The fact is that companies, if they don't innovate, the product cycle will be shorter and shorter, therefore, you'll move more and more quickly to obsolescence in each of your products. Either you innovate, or you release new things, or you release new products, or you start thinking about how you're going to deal with it when your product is obsolete, because it will be.
