Director’s Corner

by Brian Anderson, Ph.D.

Discovery and innovation are about collaboration, combining expertise and building on diverse ideas. Collaboration is foundational to NETL’s work to deliver integrated solutions to enable transformation to a sustainable energy future. That’s why the work of our dedicated engineers and scientists in NETL’s Technology Development Center (TDC) is so critical to our Lab’s success. 

TDC leads integrated technical and business teams to define, solicit, negotiate, manage and deliver federally sponsored energy research and demonstrates benefits to the nation.  

By collaborating with top talent across the nation, TDC implements national research, development, and demonstration programs with industry, institutes of higher education, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and other federal agencies and national laboratories. Together, this team is developing and maturing technologies that will meet the goals of the Biden Administration, which is calling for a net-zero carbon emission electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050. 

This month, we’re highlighting some of our many successes that have resulted from our technology development experts and research partners. For example: 

• A membrane-based carbon capture technology can effectively capture more greenhouse gases without using hazardous chemicals at a reduced cost, representing the latest chapter in a technology development story that has been a dozen years in the making. 
• A six-year project managed with NETL oversight has culminated in the manufacture of commercial-scale nickel superalloy components that are needed for higher-efficiency thermal power plants. 
• NETL Federal Project Manager William Fincham, who has developed a passion for technology development and supporting a changing energy future.  

Check back through March to read more about these projects and more as we forge ahead in our mission to drive innovation and deliver solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future.  
 

Shown above: A polymer membrane that will be used for separation of carbon dioxide from other gases.