Increasing the efficiency of the way energy is produced in an array of facilities that dot America’s landscape is at the core of efforts to reduce the amount of fuel required to produce power, decrease harmful emissions, and eliminate waste. Increasing efficiency requires better processes and, especially, better pressure and temperature-withstanding materials for use in everything from the boilers that combust fuels to the power-making turbines that keep the nation warm in winter, cool in summer and keeps its lights on year-round.

A research paper authored by two NETL experts that explains how a new computational algorithm was applied to alloy development to optimize heat treatments and increase consistency of mechanical properties in nickel superalloys and steel castings was selected as one of only five editor’s choice open access articles for 2017 by the Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance(JMEP).

When a panel of utility company experts offered their perspectives on energy research needs during an NETL conference in Pittsburgh devoted to improving fossil energy-producing capabilities, they provided valuable input for a key aspect of the Laboratory’s innovation-leveraging effort known as the Crosscutting Research Program.

The U.S. Small Business Administrations (SBA) is recognizing outstanding entrepreneurs and small businesses during National Small Businesses Week, April 29-May 5. During this time, the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is spotlighting the efforts of its own robust Small Business Program.

The Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) recently partnered with a natural gas industry consortium to help assess the efficiency of the consortium’s natural gas supply chain and additional methane emissions mitigation opportunities that could increase the efficiency of natural gas delivery. The partnership involved NETL energy analysis experts, who conduct multi-disciplinary investigations of complex energy systems to facilitate improvements to the nation’s energy economy, energy supply security, and environmental performance.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 14 projects to receive approximately $7 million in federal funding under the funding opportunity announcement, DE-FOA-0001816, Advanced Components for 65 Percent Combined Cycle Efficiency, Super Critical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Power Cycles and Advanced Modular Heat Engines.

By winning their regional tournaments, the Marshall Middle School (Wexford, Pa.), Morgantown High School (Morgantown, W.Va.), Pittsburgh Allderdice High School (Squirrel Hill, Pa.), and Suncrest Middle School (Morgantown, W.Va.) teams earned all-expenses paid trips to the National Science Bowl, where they will compete with diverse teams from across the nation for the championship. 

The first-ever database inventory of oil and natural gas infrastructure information from the top hydrocarbon-producing and consuming countries in the world is now available online. The database was born from a massive information acquisition, evaluation, and resource integration project led by the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg said collaboration – particularly with university partners – will be critical in achieving robust fossil energy goals he outlined to meet U.S. energy demands, stimulate the nation’s economy and promote responsible stewardship of the environment.