Director’s Corner

by Brian Anderson, Ph.D.

As we near the end of 2021, NETL scientists and engineers are hard at work on leading-edge research that is driving innovation and delivering solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future.

NETL innovation and technology solutions continue to provide critical advances toward meeting clean energy goals calling for net-zero carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050.

These are aggressive goals, and our NETL researchers are up for the challenge, as demonstrated by numerous 2021 accomplishments.

Our work is enabling our nation’s transformation to a sustainable energy future. It’s an exciting time for our Lab as we watch our research and innovations deliver impact by improving people’s lives while combatting the climate crisis.

This month, on our website and social media, we are featuring a few successes from throughout 2021 in the areas of:

• Computational Science and Engineering — including developing science-based simulation models, mathematical methods and algorithms, and software tools required to address technical barriers to the advancement of next-generation technologies.

• Program Execution and Integration — including developing clean energy technologies, assisting with problem-solving and evaluating and managing project risk, as well as defining, soliciting, negotiating, awarding, managing and delivering federally sponsored research and development benefits to the nation

• Materials Engineering and Manufacturing — including developing cost-effective materials to withstand extreme service environments in tomorrow’s highly efficient power plants, removing contaminants from water, and finding new uses for carbon wastes.

I’m honored to be part of this tremendous effort and the benefits this work offers to the American people. Most importantly, I’m thankful to be part of such a talented and productive team that works hard to ensure affordable, abundant and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, and enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans.