Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced up to $3 million in funding for four national public power associations to help increase regional and state-level engagement in DOE’s emerging carbon management work and advance energy storage technologies at U.S. power generation facilities. The cooperative agreements issued with these awards will support the development of tools, educational resources and training in long-term planning and policy analysis to improve the conditions of frontline communities impacted by the legacy of fossil fuel use and support a healthy transition to a clean energy economy.

DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will serve as the contracting authority for the cooperative agreements and will manage the following awards:

• DOE-NARUC Coal Modernization and Carbon Management Partnership — The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) (Washington, District of Columbia) will use its expertise and trusted state partnerships to promote learning and discussion among its membership on topics including (1) using the capabilities of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and other advanced pollution control technologies to reduce emissions and environmental impacts of fossil fuel-based energy generation; (2) exploring opportunities to utilize existing coal and fossil fuel production and transportation infrastructure, as well as coal waste and coal combustion byproducts, to support energy security, economic growth, climate mitigation and an equitable energy transition to a low-carbon economy; and (3) examining the role of coal and other fossil resources in light of the current climate crisis, while also enhancing energy security and resilience, economic growth and sustainability and environmental justice and energy equity for coal communities.
  DOE Funding: up to $200,000 per year for five years; Total Value: up to $1,000,000

• State and Local Innovation and Analysis in Support of Long-Term Energy Planning and Policy — The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) (Arlington, Virginia) will also use its expertise and trusted position in state energy policy and planning to research, analyze and develop educational information on various topics including how to minimize the climate and associated environmental impacts of fossil energy; the impacts on states and local communities of transitioning the energy industry to clean energy; new developments for carbon management such as CCUS; and new technological advances such as hydrogen usage and the potential roles of coal and its byproducts for supplying critical minerals that are used to manufacture products such as smart phones and computer monitors, as well as for clean energy applications like windmills and solar panels. NASEO will develop educational briefs and information sessions on these topics to facilitate peer-to-peer learning among state energy officials.
  DOE Funding: up to $200,000 per year for five years; Total Value: up to $1,000,000

• Outreach for Advanced Storage Integration and Support (OASIS) — The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) (Arlington, Virginia) will provide educational resources, training and workshops to electric cooperatives to help empower them to integrate new energy storage technologies with their generation systems. These efforts will include guidance and support to construct pilot projects that build on previous storage integration studies with DOE. NRECA will conduct coordination and outreach with its smaller electric generation utility members to facilitate awareness, technology transfer and sharing of best practices and lessons learned, as well as information on partnering with DOE on future projects and site-specific energy storage integration studies.
  DOE Funding: $100,000 per year for five years; Non-DOE Funding: $25,000 per year for five years; Total Value: $625,000

• Energy Storage Accessibility for Public Power Utilities — American Public Power Association (APPA) (Arlington, VA) will bring together municipal utilities to facilitate discussion, evaluate opportunities, and define barriers to integrating energy storage technologies with power plants, and work with DOE and other stakeholders to mitigate these barriers. APPA also will develop educational resources, publications and technical tools for public power utilities that will enhance their ability to explore and implement energy storage projects. This work will directly benefit public power utilities, as well as the customers and communities that rely on them to ensure regional grid stability. 
  DOE Funding: $100,000 per year for five years; Non-DOE Funding: $25,000 per year for five years; Total Value: $625,000

FECM funds research, development, demonstration and deployment projects to decarbonize power generation and industrial sources, to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and to mitigate the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use. To learn more, visit the FECM website, sign up for FECM news announcements and visit the NETL website.