NETL researchers have developed a cutting-edge fiber-optic sensor to monitor conditions in extreme environments thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface and obtain essential data needed to safely sequester greenhouse gas in underground reservoirs. “This breakthrough invention by NETL researchers can be used to obtain accurate pH measurements from formation fluids in harsh subsurface conditions where temperatures range up to 300 degrees Celsius (572 degrees Fahrenheit) and pressures range up to 30,000 pounds per square inch,” said Barbara Kutchko, a senior research scientist at NETL. A member of the team that received a U.S. patent on the technology, Kutchko explained that obtaining pH levels from these extreme environments is critical to ensure the safe sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the subsurface, a major component of the nation’s plan to achieve a net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) released a Request for Information (RFI) on Aug. 25, 2022, on the characterization, treatment and cleaning, and management of effluent waters from oil and natural gas development and production, along with legacy wastewaters associated with thermal power generation.Water is critical to almost every phase of fossil energy operations — from resource extraction, transport, and processing to power generation. However, these activities generate large quantities of wastewater. DOE is seeking input to help lower the cost of developing and demonstrating technologies to effectively manage wastewater for beneficial end-uses including, but not limited to, irrigation of non-edible crops, hydrogen generation, and aquifer recharge and recovery. Reusing treated water for these purposes offers great potential to increase the availability of fresh water in arid and semi-arid regions of the Nation.

On-site learning experiences returned to NETL this summer, providing research associates with valuable opportunities to advance cutting-edge technologies, write papers and present their findings while collaborating with Lab’s world-class engineers and scientists. Nearly 50 research associates participated in five internship programs designed to prepare the next generation for rewarding careers in energy-related research. Each conducted their research under the tutelage of mentors at NETL sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While a small number took part remotely, most enjoyed in-person internship experiences, which is a significant change from the previous two summers when on-site participation was restricted due to COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) NETL is supporting an award-winning startup company to help develop a novel power plant technology that can produce clean water from cooling tower plumes. The technology could significantly reduce water consumption in evaporative cooling tower systems by capturing water from cooling tower plumes, which are formed when water vapor generated in cooling towers mixes with colder ambient air as it leaves the tower and condenses. Both the United Nations and the U.S. State Department have warned that the world is facing a freshwater shortage by 2030. In the U.S. alone, decreasing precipitation and rising populations could pose a serious threat of water shortages.  According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), “About two-fifths of all the water that gets withdrawn from lakes, rivers, and wells in the U.S. is used not for agriculture, drinking or sanitation, but to cool the power plants that provide electricity from fossil fuels or nuclear power.” More than 65% of these plants use evaporative cooling, leading to huge white plumes that billow from their cooling towers. 

The July 2022 edition of the RWFI E-Note Monthly, NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative (RWFI) newsletter, is now available and includes details on a range of grant funding and training opportunities from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

NETL researchers are helping the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) unlock the potential of an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) computing resource to perform critical climate modeling that could lead to better climate change predictions. NCAR will conduct the research using Carnegie Mellon University’s cutting-edge Neocortex high-performance computing resource, which features the Cerebras CS-2 system, a ground-breaking AI computational resource powered by the world’s largest computer chip — the wafer scale engine (WSE). NETL researchers have been collaborating with Cerebras Systems Inc. over the last two years on unique modeling capabilities using the WSE, and have been developing a user interface that allows users to easily write programs on the WSE for scientific modeling.

NETL’s Natalie Pekney led a career development panel featuring women from across the U.S. Department of Energy during a virtual segment of the 2022 GirlCon, held Friday, June 17. Pekney joined Kate Klise and Christine Downs from Sandia National Laboratory, Charu Varadharajan from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Chris Morency from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as they discussed their day-to-day routines and offered words of wisdom for working for the federal government. “This was a valuable, candid discussion where each of us was able to share our unique perspectives working at the different national labs,” Pekney said. “We hope we opened up the lines of communication and provided some inspiration for the next generation of scientists and engineers to consider government service.”

NETL researchers made important industry connections during the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo held in Washington, D.C, June 13-15, sharing the Lab’s innovative research into computer modeling, rare earth elements, sensors and other energy research, while other NETL innovators pitched their technologies to investors during the concurrently held TechConnect Innovation Challenge. On the first day of the program, NETL’s Jessica Mullen, technology manager for Rare Earths and Critical Elements, provided an overview of the Lab’s Critical Materials Sustainability Program, which is working to rebuild the U.S. leadership role in extraction and processing technologies to support an economically and environmentally benign, geopolitically sustainable U.S. domestic supply chain for production of rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals for clean energy and national defense.

NETL researcher Ranjani Siriwardane is a trailblazer within her areas of expertise and in the advancement of diversity and inclusion to drive innovations for clean energy technologies. Besides finding solutions to complex technical issues, Siriwardane, as well as other women at NETL, are Ranjani Siriwardanetaking steps to close the gender gap that exists in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

As a federal project manager, NETL’s Krista Hill is especially adept at handling multiple assignments as she focuses on the development of innovative decarbonization projects to address climate change. She refined and polished those multitasking skills early in her career. While completing graduate-level research in chemistry at the University of Oregon, Hill launched a tutoring business to help students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, co-managed a construction company and even helped a friend start two food cart ventures. "I was always juggling several projects, which was great experience for project management," Hill explained. Growing up in West Virginia, Hill was impressed by the natural beauty of the state and enjoyed its outdoor recreation opportunities, which piqued an early interest in the environment. She was also exposed to strong role models, sparking a desire to excel in the classroom.