Congratulations to this year’s Y-Prize winners, CarboWells! The team proposed a 3D-printed concrete well plug that captures carbon and is designed to reduce failure rates in abandoned oil and gas wells.
There are an estimated 2 million abandoned wells across the United States, including roughly 350,000 in Pennsylvania. These wells can leak methane and other harmful gases, contaminate groundwater, and contribute to climate change. While federal and state governments have committed billions of dollars to plugging wells, traditional concrete plugs can crack and degrade over time, leading to costly repairs and continued leakage.
CarboWells builds on technology developed in Penn Engineering’s Shu Yang Lab to create a stronger alternative. Their plug uses diatomaceous earth, a natural material that helps absorb carbon dioxide. As the CO₂ reacts inside the concrete, it strengthens the plug over time. The team also designed the plug with an internal structure inspired by patterns found in nature to help distribute pressure and prevent cracks. The result is a plug that lasts longer, fits aging wells more securely, and is less likely to leak.
CarboWells was awarded the $15,000 grand prize after presenting their business plan and fielding questions from a panel of judges from academia and industry. The team members are Yash Iyer (Wharton ’29), Ronith Lahoti (VIPER ’29), Bhuranyu Mahajan (Wharton ’29), Yuki Qian (VIPER ’29), and Ali Altan Yilmaz (VIPER ’29).
The runner-up team, Aeronyx, proposed using the same 3D-printed concrete technology to replace plastic packing inside industrial scrubbers. Their design would integrate carbon capture directly into scrubber systems while improving durability and lowering long-term costs. Team Aeronyx is Sarah Ling (M&T ’29), Pritika Kharkwal (Wharton ’29), Roy Kim (Penn Engineering ’29), Richard Zhu (M&T ’29), and Ajay Panday (M&T ’29).
For over ten years, the Y-Prize competition has challenged students to develop business plans based on technologies invented at Penn Engineering. The team with the strongest commercial application receives funding to help bring their idea to life. The competition is cosponsored by Penn Engineering, the Mack Institute, Venture Lab, and the Penn Center for Innovation.