NETL will soon share its analyses and insights regarding the increasing use of the nation’s natural gas resources with the Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy Policy and Management (CEPM).

CEPM has invited the NETL Systems Engineering and Analysis directorate to participate in a webinar to provide a technical discussion on the increasing use of natural gas in energy generation, which was largely made possible by the Shale Revolution of the past decade that saw the United States undergo a transition from a primarily coal-based to natural gas-based power system.

Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 or Wednesday, October 7, the virtual event will also highlight the effect on renewable energy generation and ongoing research on those topics at NETL and other DOE national labs. For example, natural gas-based power generation, with its substantially lower emissions of greenhouse gases, can complement solar and wind power on cloudy days or during times of low wind.

NETL’s natural gas research seeks to expand beyond the current state of scientific standards and best practices with focuses ranging from fundamental laboratory work through prototype development and in-field validation. The Lab’s objectives in this area include maximizing resource recovery efficiency, reducing environmental impacts, lowering exploration and production risks, improving natural gas transportation efficiency and resiliency, and reducing resource production costs, topics which will be discussed during the technical session.

This event follows up on the Lab hosting the Washington & Jefferson College CEPM for a customized meeting and lab facilities tour at NETL’s Morgantown, West Virginia site in January 2020. That tour showcased, among other things, the Lab’s Reaction Analysis and Chemical Transformation Facility, which enables research work to optimize chemical reactor designs for specific chemical transformations, and the test lab for solid oxide fuel cells, electrochemical devices that convert coal or natural gas into electrical energy.

“We’re very pleased and excited to participate in CEPM’s upcoming webinar. Not only is it a chance for the Lab to share its research, but this event also shows what strong partnerships with academic institutions across our nation look like,” James Ferguson, who works with NETL’s State and Local Partnerships, said. “The tour of our Morgantown facility by the reps from Washington & Jefferson College served as another example of the Lab’s commitment to its partners. While the COVID-19 pandemic prevents us from meeting in person as we’d like, our work and collaborations continue regardless, and we commend CEPM for extending its hand to NETL.”

The CEPM is dedicated to fostering the development of energy policy that has a place for all energy sources and promotes economic growth while minimizing environmental impact. In pursuit of this mission, the CEPM hosts lectures and workshops; convenes industry leaders, scientists, and policymakers to engage in constructive dialog about important energy issues; and conducts original research.

The CEPM is a part of Washington & Jefferson College, a private liberal arts institution, located in southwestern Pennsylvania. The CEPM was formed in 2012, just as shale gas production in the region began to boom. While shale gas development has been a major research focus since the Center's inception, the CEPM is interested in fostering the development of energy policy that has a place for all energy sources.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that produces technological solutions for America’s energy challenges. From developing creative innovations and efficient energy systems that make coal more competitive, to advancing technologies that enhance oil and natural gas extraction and transmission processes, NETL research is providing breakthroughs and discoveries that support domestic energy initiatives, stimulate a growing economy, and improve the health, safety, and security of all Americans. Highly skilled men and women at NETL’s sites in Albany, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; Houston, Texas; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania conduct a broad range of research activities that support DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.