Academic Morning Coffee with Tsimafei Kazlou

Kazlou received the Faculty of Social Sciences' Publication price 2025 for his co-authored article "Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets". His PhD project deals with energy technologies that are very prominent in newspaper headlines but not as prominent when it comes to their deployment.

Tsimafei calls these technologies “emerging”, as they are often backed up by policy support. He assesses the feasible deployment speed of emerging technologies based on their historical track record, how other (currently mature) technologies emerged in the past, level of policy support, and more. He contrasts feasible deployment to policy targets set globally (e.g. Paris Agreement) and nationally (e.g. nuclear expansion plans in Sweden) to assess the implementation gap towards these targets and potential ways to bridge them. 

This morning coffee will be a discussion where we explore three central themes in the energy transition: carbon capture and storage (CCS), offshore wind, and small modular reactors (SMRs). We will look at the historical experience with these technologies in Norway and internationally, examine how much they are expected to contribute to meeting climate targets such as the Paris Agreement, and consider the feasibility of their projected growth.

The conversation will also address how geopolitical events — such as the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine — have influenced the outlook for offshore wind in Europe, and what kinds of policy support are required to close the widening gap between ambition and reality. Finally, we will discuss what SMRs are, their potential benefits and limitations, and what their limited track record means for realistic deployment and the broader implications for energy policy.

The conversation will be in English.