Gasification, Waste-to-Energy, Catalysis, Biomass Conversion, Syngas, Hydrogen, Ethanol, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCUS), Chemical Recycling, Plastics Circularity

Dr. Prashant Kumar is a cleantech industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of gasification, catalysis, hydrogen technologies, and renewable fuels. Through Carbon Neutral Consulting Inc., he advises technology developers, project sponsors, investors, and industrial clients on the full spectrum of energy transition challenges — from feedstock evaluation and technology assessment to commercialization strategy and technical due diligence.

Dr. Kumar’s career spans some of the most consequential work in low-carbon industrial development. At Enerkem, where he spent more than twelve years, he was instrumental in advancing waste-to-fuels technologies that convert municipal solid waste and biomass into renewable methanol, ethanol, and sustainable aviation fuel. He led catalyst development, syngas upgrading, techno-economic assessments, and scale-up activities, and was a winner of the Grand Challenge on CO₂ Valorization Projects. Most recently, as Senior Process Engineer and Subject Matter Expert at GIDARA Energy, he provided technical leadership on gasification projects across the Americas and represented the company at international conferences on sustainable fuels and circular carbon solutions.

A hands-on innovator and trusted industry voice, Dr. Kumar has successfully taken multiple technologies from laboratory concept through pilot validation and commercial deployment. He holds 10 issued and pending patents, has authored more than 29 peer-reviewed publications, and has delivered invited and plenary lectures at leading international conferences. He has also served as Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta and the University of Regina, mentoring the next generation of researchers in gasification, catalysis, and carbon management.

Dr. Kumar holds a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and has held research positions in Japan, Germany, and Canada. Contact Prashant.