Director’s Corner

by Brian Anderson, Ph.D.

Advancing Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies to Meet Clean Energy Goals 

As we embark on a productive new year, NETL researchers are hard at work on innovations that will make a big impact toward the clean energy goals calling for a net-zero carbon emission electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050. 

Key among our efforts are innovation breakthroughs in carbon management, including carbon capture and storage (CCS) — the separation and capture of carbon dioxide from the atmospheric emissions of industrial processes and the safe, permanent storage of the carbon dioxide in deep underground storage complexes. 

It’s a crucial time to be in energy research — we’ve reached a critical point in our planet’s future as we battle the climate crisis. It’s an urgent opportunity as the window for affecting meaningful change and saving our planet is limited. With our world-class talent and facilities, NETL researchers join global efforts to enable a transition to a sustainable energy future. As we forge ahead on this common goal, CCS is a key technology to minimize the environmental impacts of fossil fuels and meet climate goals while maintaining environmental stewardship and enhancing America’s economy. 

This month, we’re featuring NETL’s work in this important technology area including: 

• A project with our industry partners that is evaluating the use of a transformational membrane technology in cement manufacturing to capture a greenhouse gas and lower the environmental footprint for this important building and construction material.
• An all-hands-on-deck effort among our Strategic Systems Analysis & Engineering team to realize a clean energy future by harnessing the nation’s fossil energy resources to produce hydrogen sustainably through the use of commercial and advanced hydrogen production and carbon dioxide capture technologies.
•  A transformational carbon capture technology, developed with oversight from NETL, that leverages an advanced mixed-salt process to reduce capture costs and provide a pathway toward the nation’s decarbonization goals. 

NETL has been at the leading edge of CCS innovation for decades, working to advance the CCS knowledge base and now deploy many of the technologies for which our team made critical contributions to develop. The projects we’re featuring throughout January are just a snapshot of the many breakthroughs and technologies our talented team of scientists and engineers have advanced. Visit our website and social media throughout January to read more.