Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
Guiding Excellence in Carbon Permanence Certification
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) at Fusinite Ltd serves as the cornerstone of scientific excellence and innovation, guiding the development of robust methodologies for carbon permanence certification. Composed of internationally renowned experts in organic petrology, geochemistry, energy materials, and biochar applications, the TAC ensures that Fusinite's standards and certifications are grounded in cutting-edge research and align with global best practices.
The committee's primary role is to provide technical expertise, evaluate methodologies, and oversee the scientific rigor of Fusinite's Inertinite Certification Program. By leveraging the diverse expertise of its members, the TAC helps to advance Fusinite’s mission of delivering high-integrity, scientifically validated carbon characterization solutions. The committee also fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and regulatory bodies, ensuring Fusinite remains at the forefront of innovation in carbon dioxide removal and biochar permanence.
Meet Our Experts
Professor Dr. Stavros Kalaitzidis
Professor Stavros Kalaitzidis is a leading researcher in economic geology, organic petrology, and environmental applications of organic materials. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Patras, Greece, where his research focuses on resource characterization, energy resources, mining impacts, and the use of organic rocks for environmental applications. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and is actively involved in international collaborations. Stavros serves as the President of the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) (2024-2028), contributing to the advancement of global standards in organic petrology. His expertise in characterizing carbon materials supports Fusinite’s goal of developing scientifically robust certification methodologies for biochar permanence.
Dr. Anna Lehner
Dr. Anna Lehner is a sustainability expert with over 10 years of research experience in inorganic chemistry and energy materials, specializing in experimental materials analytics and modeling. She is currently a senior member at Carbonfuture, where she leads the co-evolution of standards and methodologies to scale durable Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) solutions. Her role includes advancing certification workflows and ensuring high-integrity and high-quality greenhouse gas removals. Previously, Anna transitioned from academia to the startup ecosystem, where she spent four years fostering collaborations between renewable energy system actors and GreenTech innovators. Her expertise in bridging science and market applications makes her a valuable contributor to Fusinite's mission of advancing carbon characterization standards.
Dr. Pål Jahre Nilsen
Dr. Pål Jahre Nilsen holds a PhD in fluid mechanics and brings 36 years of experience in industrial research and development. He is currently the Vice President of Innovation at VOW ASA, where he oversees the development of large-scale biochar and biocarbon plants for agronomic and metallurgical applications. His expertise spans biological and thermal conversion of biomass, with a focus on methane production to offset fossil fuels and biochar/biocarbon for carbon removal. With two decades of experience in process development in the oil and gas sector and 16 years dedicated to organic waste valorization, Pål combines technical innovation with a deep understanding of scalable carbon solutions, aligning with Fusinite’s commitment to high-integrity biochar applications.
Professor Dr. Hamed Sanei
Professor Hamed Sanei is a globally recognized expert in organic petrology and geochemistry, currently serving as Director of the Lithospheric Organic Carbon Laboratory (LOC) in the Department of Geoscience at Aarhus University, Denmark. He earned his PhD from the University of Victoria, Canada, and has held notable positions such as Senior Research Scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada and President of The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP). Hamed’s pioneering research on biochar permanence introduced the inertinite benchmark for assessing carbon stability, which is critical for carbon crediting frameworks. His leadership in thermal and geochemical characterization of biochar positions him as a key contributor to Fusinite’s mission of developing high-integrity carbon certification programs.
Dr. Arka Rudra
Dr. Arka Rudra is a specialist in molecular organic geochemistry and petrology, with expertise in carbon transformation processes and analytical method development. He is currently a Senior Researcher and Scientific Manager at the Lithospheric Organic Carbon (LOC) Lab, Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, where he leads research on organic carbon characterization across geological timescales, recent sediments, and engineered carbon materials. He holds a PhD in Organic Geochemistry from IIT Bombay, India, and has extensive experience in pyrolysis, mass spectrometry, and chemical assay techniques. His work focuses on method development, synthetic and kinetic experimentation, and advancing analytical instrumentation for carbon stability assessment. His ongoing research in biochar characterization supports Fusinite’s mission to develop standardized methodologies for carbon permanence and high-integrity biochar certification.
Dr. Małgorzata Wojtaszek-Kalaitzidi
Dr. Małgorzata Wojtaszek-Kalaitzidi is a Chemical Technology Engineer with a PhD from AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Poland, and over 17 years of experience in energy and fuel processing technologies. She is a senior researcher at the Institute of Energy and Fuels Processing Technology (ITPE), where she specializes in coke-making, solid fuel quality assessment, and waste processing technologies. Her organic petrography expertise spans biochar, biocoke, industrial by-products, and environmental samples. As Secretary of Commission III of the ICCP and Convener of multiple working groups, she leads international efforts in standardizing carbon material analyses. Her work aligns closely with Fusinite’s focus on advancing the scientific understanding and certification of biochar permanence.
Dr. Fariborz Goodarzi
Dr. Fariborz Goodarzi is a distinguished energy and environmental scientist with over 53 years of experience in energy research and 30 years in environmental science. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and has led numerous national and international projects across academia, government, and industry. His expertise lies in organic petrology, geochemistry, and the molecular structural changes of carbon under thermal stress, with applications in both hydrocarbon exploration and environmental science. Dr. Goodarzi has worked extensively on conventional and unconventional oil, gas, and coal resources, successfully managing hydrocarbon assessments in frontier basins such as Arctic Canada. His international experience includes training and resource assessment in Chad, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Greece, Iraq (Kurdistan), Oman, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. His first study on carbon structural changes during carbonization was published in Fuel in 1972, marking a pioneering contribution to the field. With leadership roles spanning public, private, and governmental sectors, including work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr. Goodarzi brings unparalleled expertise to Fusinite’s Technical Advisory Committee. His insights into carbon transformation and resource characterization play a critical role in advancing Fusinite’s biochar permanence certification and carbon standardization methodologies.
Mr. Greg Butler
Mr. Greg Butler is a specialist in agro-ecological technology, biochar applications, and carbon verification, with over 30 years of experience across Australia and North America. He earned his BSc (Hons) in Organic Chemistry in 1993 and has led R&D initiatives integrating digital monitoring equipment, regenerative farming, and carbon removal technologies. His expertise in biochar began in 2007, focusing on fertilizer efficiency, water quality, and waste-to-resource solutions. In 2012, he led a Biochar Capacity Building Program for the Australian Government that employed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) for carbon durability forecasting. He later contributed to large-scale biochar trials as a Technical Advisor at Cool Planet LLC. Currently, Greg is a co-founder of Biocare Projects Pty Ltd and assisted Puro Earth to expand its CDR methodology, enabling large-scale biochar projects. Since 2008, he has also been the Managing Director of Clean Carbon Pty Ltd, focusing on carbon stratification and verification. His expertise in biochar permanence aligns with Fusinite’s mission to establish rigorous carbon certification standards.