NETL-led research shows the possibilities and benefits of developing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation such as improved efficiency for fossil fuel power plants and reducing the costs of implementing carbon capture.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) and NETL have selected 11 projects to receive approximately $17 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects for carbon utilization. The projects will develop and test technologies that can utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from power systems or other industrial sources as the primary feedstock.

The first of three webinar sessions hosted by NETL starting June 23 will detail the upcoming U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) InnovationXLab CarbonX Summit. Scheduled for Sept. 22-23 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, the InnovationXLab CarbonX Summit showcase DOE technologies and the Lab’s capabilities which are transforming the domestic energy economy by enabling value-added products, environmentally conscious storage, and economical carbon dioxide capture.

NETL expertise is finding new ways to transform coal and natural gas into chemicals, including the lightest element listed in the periodic table, to resolve a heavy burden for operators of the U.S. electricity grid system.

A groundbreaking NETL study demonstrated that machine learning (ML) and data analytics can be used to design next-generation alloys needed to operate fossil fuel-based power plants with greater efficiency and produce affordable electricity while lowering emissions of greenhouse gas.

Researchers at NETL are one step closer to solving one of the most difficult problems associated with developing post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology. The team has developed a new process to create a chemically bound, dual-layer membrane or sorbent that combines the benefits of high permeability and high selectivity – two material qualities that are usually mutually exclusive – to more effectively separate CO2 from nitrogen found in power plant flue gas.

Three NETL researchers coauthored an invited article on nickel-based superalloys for the 50th anniversary issue of the prestigious journal Metallurgical and Materials Transactions (MMT) A. The paper, titled “Solving Recent Challenges for Wrought Ni-Base Superalloys,” discussed the status of technology, design and manufacture of advanced superalloys required for fossil energy and aerospace applications.

A new National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) report shows that under certain scenarios grid operators in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) may be forced to utilize extraordinary measures to ensure the operation of the Texas power system this summer, including potential brownouts and load shedding. 

NETL continues to adapt to current events by taking the Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) summer internship program virtual for the participating students for the first time. Participants include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors who will get one-on-one mentorship experiences working with NETL’s world-class scientists and engineers.

Richard Dennis, whose professional accomplishments at NETL span 35 years, has been named a Fellow in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a prestigious honor the society awards to members for significant engineering achievements. A graduate of West Virginia University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering, Dennis currently serves as technology manager for NETL’s Advanced Turbines and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Power Cycle programs.