As the nation’s energy sector moves toward an emissions-free future, fuel flexibility and successful integration of renewable resources will be more important than ever in designing the next generation of power plants. NETL research in energy conversion engineering (ECE) is enabling researchers to understand what will comprise the advanced energy systems of tomorrow, pioneering innovation in low-carbon power production to meet the Biden Administration’s goals of a net-zero emissions power sector by 2035 and broader economy by 2050.

The image above illustrates MICP formation in a wellbore cement defect and leakage pathway. The resulting mineral seal mitigates leakage to aquifers and the atmosphere. Reprinted from the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Vol 86.

A scientist advancing technology to recover rare earth elements, a team incorporating big data capabilities into a platform to accelerate discoveries, and researchers who developed a suite of sorbents to remove contaminants are NETL’s recipients of Secretary’s Honor Awards from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm noted the annual awards recognize outstanding achievements of individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond in fulfilling DOE’s mission and serving the nation.

The discovery, design and operation of modern energy systems requires systematic decision-making techniques for the often-competing goals of maximizing profits, minimizing costs and addressing market and policy drivers while also meeting environmental and technical constraints.

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced up to $644,000 in funding for the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources to assess the economic impacts of fossil energy production in Wyoming and evaluate opportunities and research needs to deploy clean hydrogen technologies. The study also will include direct outreach and engagement with local tribal nations and other traditionally marginalized groups to ensure that the study’s findings represent a diverse set of perspectives.

The December 2021 edition of the RWFI E-Note Monthly, the newsletter of NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative, details deadline extensions for funding opportunities to establish a network of university-based, regional electric power cybersecurity centers.

NETL’s project partner Svante Inc. is rapidly scaling up a new sorbent and intensified process technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, from power generation and industrial point sources that could significantly lower the capital investment needed to develop carbon capture plants at gigaton scale.

Learn about the latest developments in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/NETL Carbon Capture Program in this month’s edition of the Carbon Capture Newsletter. The DOE/NETL Carbon Capture Program is developing the next generation of advanced carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technologies that can provide step-change reductions in both cost and energy requirements as compared to currently available technologies.

NETL’s geological and environmental systems (GES) research tackles the challenges of clean energy production by focusing on the behavior of natural systems at both the Earth’s surface and deep within the subsurface.

NETL Senior Researcher Sofiane Benyahia, Ph.D., was selected by the Particle Technology Forum of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) to receive this year’s prestigious Lectureship in Fluidization Award during the 2021 AIChE annual meeting. This award recognizes an individual’s outstanding scientific/technical research contributions with impact in the field of fluidization and fluid-particle flow systems.