NETL Director Brian Anderson, Ph.D., will welcome representatives from 11 universities for the virtual 2021 University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research (UCFER) Annual Technical Review Meeting Oct. 5-6, 2021. “Partnerships like UCFER help the Lab leverage its connections, resources and expertise to develop critical carbon management technologies,” Anderson said. “The dedication of our University partners across UCFER to our mission is an inspiration when we see the innovations from see the best and brightest minds from universities across the country.” During the two-day event, researchers for selected active projects will give virtual presentations on technologies spanning topics that will include carbon capture, carbon storage, crosscutting research, carbon ore processing, fuel cell technologies, gasification systems, coal and coal-biomass to liquids, natural gas technologies, and rare earth elements.

The September 2021 edition of RWFI E-Note Monthly, the newsletter of NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative, highlights how communities can apply for funds to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and build economic diversity and resiliency to mitigate impacts during future economic challenges. This month’s newsletter also outlines how to submit proposals to fund innovative projects to reclaim land after mining operations have ceased and develop training programs in brownfield assessment and cleanup.

In June 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management announced up to $6.75 million in funding for the Subsurface Hydrogen Assessment, Storage, and Technology Acceleration (SHASTA) project, which will leverage the unique capabilities and demonstrated expertise of NETL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to determine the viability, safety, and reliability of storing pure hydrogen and challenges associated with hydrogen/natural gas blends in subsurface environments.

A new superalloy, developed by Haynes International and tested by a collaborative effort led by NETL, has received American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) approval for use in the next generation of power plants that will operate with enhanced efficiency and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The ASME, whose code and standards are regarded as the world’s leading set of rules for the design of pressure equipment, approved the nickel-based superalloy for use in boilers, fired heaters, pressure vessels and other key components at conditions of up to 875 degrees Celsius (1,607 degrees Fahrenheit), which covers maximum anticipated operating conditions of Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (AUSC) plus carbon dioxide (CO2) capture power plants. Across much of the U.S. and in more than 100 countries, the ASME code stamp is required for boiler and pressure vessel installations and is a mandatory requirement of many insurance companies.

This quarter’s Research Associate Spotlight and Mentor Profile illustrates how pairing an experienced NETL researcher with an up-and-coming scientist can open new roads to discovery and facilitate faster technology development at lower cost. Research associate Fei Xue, a participant in the NETL Post Graduate Research Program administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, explains how working with his mentor, Youhai Wen, interacting with other NETL experts and using the Lab’s Joule 2.0 supercomputer, among the most powerful in the nation, are advancing important research in the field of computational science and engineering. Through science-based simulations, multiscale modeling and data analytics, Xue is making meaningful contributions to NETL’s efforts to analyze and predict performance of materials used in a diverse set of energy research projects while accelerating development of clean energy technologies.

The August 2021 edition of RWFI E-Note Monthly, the newsletter of NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative, outlines how schools and worker education programs can apply for funding from the National Science Foundation to prepare the next generation of technicians for high-technology fields. The foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program supports curriculum and professional development of college faculty and secondary teachers while encouraging partnerships among academic institutions (grades 7-12 and two-year institutes of higher education) and industry and economic development agencies to promote improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians. Materials developed may also be used for incumbent worker education.

A special July Technical Focus Issue of Materials Evaluation (ME) detailed three University-led research and development projects made possible through a partnership with NETL under the Crosscutting Research University Training and Research (UTR) program, which supports energy research at colleges and universities nationwide, including minority institutions. Each project advances robotics-based inspection in unique ways and serves to underscore how NETL is helping to investigate novel technologies that will become viable solutions to industry in the future. NETL began collaborating with Florida International University (FIU), The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) and New Mexico State University (NMSU), through the “Automated Plant Component Inspection, Analysis, and Repair Enabled by Robotics” topic in the competitive 2018 UTR funding opportunity announcement (FOA). In recent years, each team has continued to advance their respective robotic-based inspection technologies.

The summer 2021 edition of the Water-Energy Nexus Newsletter is filled with updates concerning NETL’s ongoing water-energy research and related activities. The newsletter highlights the Lab’s recent virtual Water Management Research and Development (R&D) review meeting, which focused on the progress being made on cooperative research and technology developments to reduce water use in energy production. A portfolio of in-house and extramural research projects was discussed, including a presentation by NETL’s Tim Skone and Erik Schuster on the impact of water use from power systems. The review meeting was attended by scientists, engineers and researchers from academia, industry, and the public working in the water-energy space.

According to the latest rankings by TOP500, NETL’s Joule 2.0 supercomputer remains among the most powerful in the nation, securing a position of 37th in the United States. Supercomputing is essential in achieving NETL’s mission to drive innovation and deliver solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future by ensuring affordable, abundant and reliable energy that fosters a robust economy and national security while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle. By expediting technology development through computational science and engineering, Joule 2.0 helps NETL cut costs, save time and spur valuable economic investments with a global impact. Named for the familiar unit of energy, Joule allows researchers to model energy technologies, simulate challenging phenomena and solve complex calculations using computational tools that save time and money to ensure that technology development ultimately proves successful.

Four scientists at NETL are inspiring girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at GirlCon 2021, an international tech conference aiming to empower the next generation of female leaders. Natalie Pekney, Alexandra Hakala, Circe Verba and Madison Wenzlick are slated to present at several sessions throughout the conference to share their career stories, offer tips for working in energy and address challenges girls may face in pursuing STEM. The conference, held virtually this year from June 27-30, features breakout, professional development and keynote sessions from numerous companies and backgrounds to promote networking and building connections. Attendees have the chance to personally connect with companies from countless career paths and gain mentorship from women in both college and the workforce.