In an effort that could ultimately help create new jobs and markets for coal, NETL researchers have developed a low-cost, coal-derived cement additive that could lead to the construction of stronger and more durable roads and buildings.

Female leaders serving in a variety of roles at NETL shared their professional pathways and unique perspectives on mentoring with other women at TechConnect West Virginia’s 2019 Women & Technology Conference. The conference, held Oct. 21 in Charleston, West Virginia, was designed for women working in technology fields, as well as those interested in pursuing or migrating to a technology-focused career. The event featured inspiring keynote speakers, valuable networking opportunities and educational breakout sessions.

Key researchers and leadership from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) are set to present the details of revolutionary energy technologies at the eighth annual TransTech Energy (TTE) Start-Up Development Conference, taking place Oct. 28-30 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Southpointe, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

As America’s energy landscape evolves, NETL is advancing emerging technologies that offer new economic opportunities for the nation’s most abundant domestic resource — coal. Converting coal to high-value carbon nanomaterials has the potential to reduce manufacturing costs and energy consumption while improving the performance of electronics, batteries, solar cells, cements, plastics and other in-demand consumer products.

NETL Senior Environmental Engineer Timothy Skone was recently honored by the ACLCA for leadership in life cycle analysis (LCA) that exemplifies bold and forward-thinking initiatives that advance the implementation and application of LCA. The award was presented at the LCA XIX Awards dinner Sept. 25, 2019, in Tucson, Arizona. Skone, who has 21 years’ experience in energy analysis, was one of six award winners recognized as a “true catalyst in the field of LCA.” 

Development and commercialization of coal-derived carbon fiber composites to meet the needs of industries, improve the nation’s energy and environmental security and create new U.S. manufacturing jobs is the focus of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) stakeholders’ event underway today in Detroit and NETL experts are a key part of the discussions.

For generations, coal powered industries that created new jobs and helped supply light, heat and hot water to homes, hospitals, schools and businesses. But soon, people may associate the nation’s most abundant natural resource with a host of other uses from building materials and energy storage capabilities, to carbon composites and 3D printing materials.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and NETL have selected seven Coal FIRST (Flexible, Innovative, Resilient, Small, Transformative) conceptual designs to receive $7 million and proceed with preliminary front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) studies. These designs have been selected from 13 conceptual design studies that were completed by 11 different recipients as part of the first phase of the effort.

An NETL review of corrosion sensing technology demonstrates the powerful potential of emerging applications to provide continuous real-time, in-situ monitoring of oil and natural gas infrastructure. This capability empowers industry to prevent pipeline leaks and failures, boosting infrastructure resilience and safety while mitigating unnecessary expenses that are often passed on to consumers via energy bills.

A new NETL study identified strong opportunities for global export of high-performance materials that are used in power plants and the aerospace industry – exports that could mean increased demand for U.S. goods and services and positive impacts for the U.S. economy.