Climate tech firm Levidian expands to United Arab Emirates

Cambridge-based climate tech company Levidian is expanding to the United Arab Emirates with a new base of operations in Abu Dhabi.

Expansion to the Middle East comes after Levidian signed a £700m deal to remove half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in the United Arab Emirates last year.

Levidian CEO, John Hartley, said: “The energy sector alone is responsible for nearly 40% of the total methane emissions attributable to human activity.

“The opportunities for us in the Middle East, and specifically in the United Arab Emirates, mean the region is central to our growth strategy.”

Levidian’s LOOP devices deconstruct methane into hydrogen and carbon. The carbon can then be used to produce graphene, which has been described as a “wonder material” due to its high conductivity and for being the thinnest yet strongest material on Earth.

Devices from Levidian are already in operation in Manchester, Luxembourg and the south of Scotland.

Rob Bricker, director for business and trade United Arab Emirates, government said: “We are delighted that the United Arab Emirates is the destination for Levidian’s expansion, bringing their world-leading tech to the region and helping to unlock the potential of graphene – a British discovery – in the United Arab Emirates.”

Graphene was discovered in 2004 by professors Andre Geim and Prof Kostya Novoselov at The University of Manchester.

Levidian will be installing a demonstration of one of its LOOPs before COP28 at one of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s gas facilities.