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NETL to Celebrate the U.S. Department of Energy’s Second Annual Carbon Management Day on December 1, 2022
Celebrate Carbon Management Day and efforts by DOE and its partners to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 on Thursday, Dec. 1 (12.01).

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), is celebrating its second annual Carbon Management Day on December 1 (12.01). The atomic mass of carbon is 12.01, which is why FECM celebrated the first-ever Carbon Management Day last year.

As a part of the celebrations, FECM is hosting a free and open-to-the-public webinar on December 1 at 12:01 p.m. EST. The webinar will feature industry experts, including FECM’s Assistant Secretary Brad Crabtree and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Jennifer Wilcox, who will provide updates on key initiatives, take a closer look into FECM-funded carbon management projects, and inform stakeholders on how to get involved. The full webinar agenda can be viewed here and those interested in registering for the webinar can sign up here.

Carbon management is an integral part of meeting the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Carbon Management Day celebrates the progressScientists working in a lab. that has been made to date and recognizes the work that still needs to be done.

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy, NETL has risen to the challenge of decarbonizing the economy through a wide variety of initiatives, both in-house and in collaboration with the Lab’s partners in industry and academia.

NETL’s Carbon Management Program, comprised of a world-class team of high-performing leaders, scientists, and engineers, houses the necessary engineering and scientific expertise to manage external research and development projects that further FECM’s goals. Research in this area supports point source carbon capture, carbon dioxide (CO2) removal, CO2 conversion into products, reliable CO2 storage and critical mineral production from industrial and mining waste.

These projects can not only meet the nation’s energy needs but also provide new employment opportunities, especially in America’s historic mining and power production communities. They also incentivize environmental cleanup of legacy mining sites while recovering valuable resources such as rare earth elements that are needed in the production of clean energy technology, medical equipment, electric vehicles, consumer electronics and a range of other products.

Sustainable hydrogen power production and storage is a priority for NETL.

Hydrogen has held the interest of scientists as a source of energy since the 1800s due to its abundance in the environment and high energy per unit mass. Most of the hydrogen in nature exists as water or bonded in organic compounds, however, and its high vapor pressure means significant compression is required to take advantage of the energy density. Hydrogen also has additional infrastructure challenges associated with its small molecular size and negative effects on material fatigue resistance.

While the use of pure hydrogen as an energy source results in zero carbonaceous emissions, the production of hydrogen primarily relies on steam methane reforming which is energy intensive and releases CO2 to the atmosphere. However, when combined with the latest carbon capture and storage projects that NETL is helping to advance, hydrogen sourced from America’s immense natural gas reserves presents a viable means to decarbonize the nation’s power sector and meet the needs of a high-tech, energy-hungry economy.

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.