Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced $2.2 million in funding for a project that will produce high-strength, lightweight building materials made from domestic coal waste. The waste will be sourced from active coal preparation facilities or existing waste storage structures and converted into building materials that are lighter, less bulky and fire-resistant, for use in residential, commercial and infrastructure applications.

The selected project supports FECM’s Carbon Ore Processing Program, which develops innovative uses for coal as the nation undergoes a transformational shift to clean energy and economic growth through the support and development of new carbon-based technologies in U.S. energy communities.

DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the selected project:

Modular, Manufactured Homes from Coal-Based Building Materials — X-MAT Carbon Core Composites LLC (Bluefield, West Virginia) and partners will construct a prototype structure to test coal-derived building materials including roof tiles, siding panels, bricks, and blocks. The project will produce a detailed design for a carbon-based building and update the techno-economic analysis to improve the maturity of the technology as it moves closer to a demonstration phase.

DOE Funding: $2,247,844; Non-DOE Funding: $700,000; Total Value: $2,947,844

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. Priority areas of technology work include point-source carbon capture, hydrogen with carbon management, methane emissions reduction, critical mineral production and carbon dioxide removal. To learn more, visit the FECM website, sign up for FECM news announcements and visit the NETL website.