NETL Director Brian Anderson, Ph.D., and five of the Lab’s leading experts in the development of carbon management strategies and technologies will be featured presenters at the Carbon Capture, Storage & Utilization Virtual Forum on Tuesday, July 27.

The forum will examine the latest technology advances, business models, research findings and real-world applications for capturing, storing and utilizing carbon dioxide (CO₂). Utilization of CO₂ as a commodity will be explored, as well as transportation to storage sites and injection deep underground into geological strata such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs and deep saline formations. Click here to register for the forum.

Anderson and the NETL experts scheduled to present are advancing critical initiatives to effectively capture and store CO₂ derived from power generation and other industrial processes, while transforming CO₂ and other carbon-related byproducts and waste streams into valuable products in an efficient, economical and environmentally friendly manner. NETL presenters and their topics are:

• 10-10:30 a.m. (CDT) — Anderson, “An Introduction to Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage.” The presentation will explore promising technologies NETL is pursuing to meet the goals of the Biden Administration calling for a net-zero carbon emission electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050.

• 11:30 a.m. to noon (CDT) — Peter Balash, Ph.D., associate director, Strategic Systems Analysis and Engineering, “Economic Analysis and Modeling; CCUS: Competitive, Reliable and Essential.”
  
  The presentation will highlight the crucial role played by carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in decarbonization scenarios, contributing competitive and reliable electricity, carbon-reducing technology for industrial sectors, and favorable jobs and incomes for large regions of the nation.

• 1:30-2 p.m. (CDT) — Lingxiang Zhu, Ph.D., research scientist, Research and Innovation Center, “High Performance Polymer Blend Membranes for CO₂ Capture.”
  
  Zhu will explore recent NETL research and development (R&D) activities focusing on polymeric materials and membranes for carbon capture from flue gas generated by coal power plants, cement plants and steel mills. Ongoing efforts to fabricate and test highly permeable and selective polymer-blend thin-film composite membranes will also be discussed.

• 2-2:30 p.m. (CDT) — Dan Hancu, Ph.D., technology manager, Carbon Capture, “Progress Toward Decarbonization of Natural Gas Power Generation.”
  
  The Carbon Capture program at DOE/NETL has adopted a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to the research and development of advanced carbon dioxide capture technologies for today’s fossil fuel-based power platforms as well as for industrial systems. The talk will provide a technical overview of the current efforts toward decarbonization of natural gas power generation.

• 3-3:30 p.m. (CDT) — Mark McKoy, technology manager, Carbon Storage, “DOE’s Geologic Carbon Storage Program Overview.”
  
  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sponsored leading-edge R&D and technology demonstrations that pave the way for safe, efficient and secure underground storage of carbon oxides (mostly CO₂) in a variety of geologic settings, including depleted oil and gas reservoirs and brine-filled deep reservoirs. McKoy will explain how the program has increased the overall understanding of the physics, chemistry and geomechanics of carbon storage, which has served as the foundation for the development of risk assessment and management tools.

• 3:30-4 p.m. (CDT) — Dustin Crandall, Ph.D., research engineer, Geological & Environmental Systems, “Estimating Storage Capacity and Risk for Geologic Carbon Storage in the U.S.”

Through careful laboratory examinations, numerical modeling, method development and assessment of risk associated with geologic carbon storage, NETL has assisted operators and entities who wish to store large volumes of carbon in subterranean formations. This talk will review some of these accomplishments over the past decade and provide a glimpse into how these tools and processes are being coupled with machine learning to enhance future geologic storage operations efficiencies.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory develops and commercializes advanced technologies that provide clean energy while safeguarding the environment. NETL’s work supports DOE’s mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy and environmental challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.