Goran Vlajnic, Executive Director, Carbon Capture and Conversion Institute
CMC Research Institutes is pleased to announce that Goran Vlajnic has been selected as the new Executive Director of its Carbon Capture and Conversion Institute (CCCI), effective July 1.
Formerly with Devon Canada, Vlajnic is an energetic and visionary leader with a proven track record in technology development and the transfer of technology from the concept stage through to scale up in an industrial environment.
“We are really excited to have Goran on board as the CCCI’s first executive director,” says Richard Adamson, President of CMC Research Institutes (CMC). “He has proven success accelerating the development of capture technologies, from identifying industry needs, to developing collaborative partnerships, to securing necessary funds. Goran has the diverse skill set this position requires and also a commitment to developing technologies that will support sustainable economic growth and help position B.C and Canada as low carbon suppliers of natural resources and industrial clean tech solutions.”
Industrial-scale capture/conversion
Vlajnic will lead development of the new institute which is headquartered in Vancouver, B.C. The CCCI is a unique partnership between CMC and BC Research Inc. focused on advancing the development and implementation of industrial-scale carbon capture and carbon conversion technologies. State-of-the-art piloting facilities are currently under construction at the Technology Commercialization and Innovation Centre where clients will be able to draw on the expertise of scientists, engineers and business development experts.
“I look forward to joining the CMC team and supporting the growth of the Capture and Conversion Institute. The benefits of developing industrial-scale capture and conversion technologies are multiple. These technologies will make a real difference in reducing carbon emissions at the industrial level, which is a critical step in meeting Canada’s emissions targets. But products and processes developed at the Institute will also stimulate economic development in Canada by providing economic diversification, job creation and technologies for export,” said Vlajnic.
Engineering background
Prior to joining the CCCI, Vlajnic was a Development Engineer with Devon Canada. While there he worked to scale up and demonstrate a molten carbonate fuel cell for carbon capture. He was instrumental in securing investments in a number of key projects including a 1000 tpd carbon capture plant, and a carbon capture and bitumen partial upgrading facility. He negotiated agreements to help establish the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Chair in CO2 capture technologies at the University of Calgary, and was a member of the technical team responsible for the design of a commercialization centre for the NRG COSIA Carbon XPrize.
Vlajnic was Senior Research Engineer at the Saskatchewan Research Council where he focused on technology development for conversion of biomass to liquids, chemicals and combined heat and power generation. At Ballard Power Systems, where he was Principal Scientist and Team Leader, his work included the development and commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells and industrial water and wastewater treatment. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Engineering.
Contact Information
E: goran.vlajnic@cmcghg.com
T: 604 696-6945
C: 604 312-2372
W: ccci.cmcghg.com