The accomplishments of NETL’s Richard Dennis to advance the development of high-efficiency turbines for low-cost power generation were recognized at Turbo Expo 2022, a conference held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for world leaders in the fields of turbomachinery and propulsion engineering.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Electric Power Technical Committee and the Turbo Expo 2022 Organizing Committee approved and endorsed a special panel session held June 15 to highlight the accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) turbine program over the last two decades, with a special focus on the programs led by Dennis.

“I was both honored and humbled to be recognized for my contributions to turbine technology,” said Dennis, technology manager for Advanced Turbines and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Technology programs at NETL.

“It’s especially gratifying to know that research led and supported by NETL has played an integral role in the development of next-generation turbine technology to produce reliable, affordable, diverse and environmentally friendly energy,” Dennis said.

Dennis’ professional accomplishments at NETL span 35 years. During his tenure, programs led by Dennis have generated revolutionary developments in advanced turbine technology to produce electricity using fossil fuels, hydrogen and ammonia, as well as high-efficiency, low-cost power generation-based sCO2 power cycles.

Speakers from industry, academia and DOE detailed the real-world impact of the programs led by Dennis, who was recognized with plaques from the Gas Turbine Association and the ASME Electric Power Technical Committee for his contributions to turbine technology.

Dennis is a graduate of West Virginia University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. From 1983 to 1992, Dennis worked in the on-site research group of NETL where he conducted research related to pressurized fluidized bed combustion, gasification and gas stream particulate cleanup for advanced coal-based power generation.

From 1993 to 2000, Dennis managed contracted research for DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy in advanced fossil fuel power generation, including coal combustion, gasification, fuel cells and gas turbines. He was named a technology manager in 2002.

In 2020, Dennis was named a Fellow in the ASME, a prestigious honor the society awards to members for significant engineering achievements. Engineers who are named ASME Fellows receive a membership grade of distinction in the society.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers technological solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By leveraging its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans.