WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $175 million in funding for six projects to modernize, retrofit, and extend the useful life of coal-fired power plants that serve rural and remote communities across the United States, keeping dependable energy sources online, strengthening grid reliability, and helping keep electricity costs low for American families and businesses.

A talented team from Mountaineer Middle School and a highly skilled squad from Morgantown High School took top honors at the 2026 West Virginia Science Bowl (WVSB) co-hosted by NETL and advanced to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl to be held in Washington, D.C this spring.

Final preparations are underway for the 2026 West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania Science Bowls, exciting academic challenges designed to test middle and high school students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and inspire the next generation to pursue rewarding STEM-related careers.

NETL brought its considerable critical minerals and materials knowledge to bear while helping to create the Critical Minerals Leadership Academy (CMLA), a program focused on building capacity and expertise in the field. The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources hosted the event, which convened graduate students and early career professionals.

NETL has launched ClaiMM, the first and only digital platform dedicated to supporting U.S. research across the full critical minerals and materials (CMM) value chain, unlocking digital tools and data from source to supply. Hosted on NETL’s Energy Data eXchange (EDX®), ClaiMM gives CMM researchers, scientists and stakeholders access to curated CMM datasets, databases, models, tools and services within a secure, authoritative and adaptive digital research library.

NETL research has unlocked a low-temperature synthesis process to turn America’s coal into critical mineral graphite with a lower processing intensity, adding to the domestic supply chain and addressing commercial market needs for several key industries as well.

NETL’s new patented nickel (Ni)-based alloy, its patented composition, method of manufacture and heat treatment will advance the reliability of next generation power generation and other applications while lowering operating costs.

Heather Dougherty, an NETL research engineer whose work has supported a range of fossil energy initiatives, was recently honored by the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America (PCMIA) for outstanding service and dedication to the mission of the organization.

NETL has announced that the application window is open for the summer 2026 Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program, a paid 10-week summer internship program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Applications are due by 5 p.m. EST Jan. 7, 2026. Access to the online application system is available here.

NETL researchers and their partners developed a new approach that involves dissolving small quantities of low-cost surfactants into carbon dioxide (CO2) to increase oil production from challenging, unconventional formations, such as shale, tight reservoirs and others, in which hydrocarbons are trapped in layers of subsurface rock.