TechTalks

Mercedes Hernandez

Mercedes Hernandez joined Atlas Copco Group largely because of its innovative spirit and has during her two decades-long career been part of developing many visionary products. In line with the Atlas Group strategy, Mercedes and her colleagues are primarily focusing on technologies that can enable the shift to a low-carbon society.

  • Job: Vice President Marketing
  • Specialist Subject: High Pressure Air and Gases
Mercedes Hernandez in episode 2 of TechTalks

Innovation is really a part of the company DNA and you are constantly encouraged to find better and more efficient ways forward. This attitude, paired with freedom to act, creates a very idea-driven culture that is really motivating.

Innovating for carbon capture

In line with the Atlas Group strategy, Mercedes and her colleagues are primarily focusing on technologies that can enable the shift to a low-carbon society.

One key area is how to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. This is where the concept of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) comes in. The challenge is to capture CO2 coming from industrial emissions, separate the carbon, and then transport and store it in a secure way.

“We already provide compressor pistons, screws, dryers and filters that can be used for this purpose, and we are also innovating to drive this technology forward,” says Mercedes.

Close collaboration

The innovation process is based on identifying present and future opportunities and the marketing and R&D teams work closely together to translate customer needs into new technologies.

“We co-develop with our customers to help them reduce their CO2 footprint. CCUS technology can be used in most industries, from breweries to shipping, “ Mercedes explains. “We especially focus on hard-to-abate industries, such as steel, cement, and petrochemicals. As these are heavy emission sectors, carbon capture and storage offer great potential on the quest to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

The opportunities are promising, but there are also several challenges.

To accelerate the number of projects in the field, there is a need for new policymaking and business models. Our role as a technology leader is to continue to innovate, together with customers who want to move forward in this field, and to learn from each project and thereby contribute to research and development. This is what drives us to keep improving.

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Mercedes Hernandez was a guest on the second episode of the TechTalks podcast, where we discussed if carbon capture can be a solution to the climate challenge. 

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TechTalks episode 2 group photo with two women and two men