Company founder to discuss new, 'carbon-negative' technology

An entrepreneur and scientist who has formed what he calls “the world’s first carbon-negative energy and manufacturing company” is returning to his alma mater to speak on environmental research and development being conducted by his company. Deane Little, the founder and CEO of New Sky Energy in Boulder, Colo., will discuss new technology that involves capturing carbon dioxide from the air and converting it into carbon-based building products and other “clean” compounds.

Little’s seminar, titled “Carbonates, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Global Warming: Can Mankind Profitably Mimic Nature’s CO2 Sequestration Strategy?,” is free and open to the public. He will speak:

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

3:30 P.M.

255 FISHER LECTURE HALL

111 N. WOODWARD AVE.

THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.

New Sky Energy has just announced plans with a joint venture partner, Ag-Water New Sky, to develop at $3.2 million plant to build and deploy a water desalination facility in California’s Central Valley to clean water used in agriculture. The salts that are removed from the wastewater will then be combined with carbon dioxide taken from the air to create chemically stable, useful, competitively priced compounds for agriculture and industry.

“This project opens up an entirely new path to cost-effective water treatment in the Central Valley,” Little said. “By converting drainage water into fresh water and clean chemicals, we can help solve freshwater shortages and drainage-water pollution while creating clean tech jobs at the same time. We are excited to be putting our clean technology to work for California farmers and helping to transform waste into revenues.”

Little earned his doctorate in molecular biophysics at Florida State in 1988. His major professor was Penny J. Gilmer, currently the Nancy Marcus Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the university.