As the U.S. economy moves toward a net zero carbon emissions future, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking to partner with states, local governments and public utilities or agencies to support the procurement and use of carbon conversion products. These efforts have been enabled by provisions included in Section 40302 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). As part of the BIL, supporting the Administration’s goal to achieve a carbon-free power sector by 2035 and putting the United States on a path to a net-zero economy by 2050, a new initiative was established within DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management through its Carbon Conversion Program. The new initiative will establish a demonstration grant program, The Utilization Procurement Grants (UPGrants), to issue grants to eligible entities to procure and use commercial or industrial products derived from the conversion of anthropogenic carbon oxides.

Before a carbon conversion product manufacturer can be approved as a vendor under the program, their commercial or industrial products must demonstrate a significant net reduction in life cycle GHG emissions compared to incumbent technologies, processes and products. NETL recently published the website that will allow carbon conversion product manufacturers to submit life cycle analysis (LCA) data related to how much greenhouse gas (GHG) their carbon conversion products will avoid — critical information that the Lab must review in relation to a forthcoming funding opportunity announcement. The DOE/NETL LCA team will critically review carbon conversion product LCAs to verify that they have a significant net reduction of life cycle GHG emissions compared to incumbent products.

Visit the UPGrants website to find out more about the UPGrants Program in general and to submit a product LCA for critical review.

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.