A 10-megawatt supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) test facility recently achieved supercritical CO2 conditions in its turbine compressor section — a milestone representing a significant step forward in the NETL-sponsored project, which offers a path to lower-cost power generation.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) is implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Section 40303.

International Women in Engineering Day is celebrated across the globe June 23 to raise awareness about the women pursuing engineering and transforming the world with their achievements. NETL is proud to recognize its women engineers who work to address the nation’s critical energy needs.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced up to $17.7 million in funding available to support novel, early-stage research and development at eligible U.S. colleges and universities, including creating new academic curricula related to geosciences and supporting interdisciplinary training in humanities-driven science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (HDSTEM) fields.

When NETL researchers began to research the potential to recover critical minerals from rocks that are processed to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide in a practice called mineral carbonation, they expected to find valuable commodities like chromium, cobalt, and nickel. But their work also discovered valuable quantities of platinum group minerals (PGMs) — extremely precious metal commodities that are critical for the clean energy economy.

NETL, in partnership with California-based Cerebras Systems Inc., is embracing new, efficient computer architecture that can accelerate research project simulations to make a clean energy economy a reality.

Researchers at NETL and the University of Wyoming report that using brackish water — water that is not suitable for drinking or irrigation because it contains between 1,000 and 35,000 parts per million of dissolved solids — to cool power plants can reduce freshwater consumption by 94% to 100%. The results of the study were reported in a paper published online by Nature Portfolio and available here. 

Recognizing the importance of collaborative assets for energy-related research needs, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken steps to ensure a permanent place for researchers around the world to access research data.

NETL’s Natalie Pekney, Ph.D., an environmental engineer leading research to mitigate methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells, has been named the recipient of a 2022 Arthur S. Flemming Award, one of the nation’s top honors presented to federal employees.

Summer research associates arrived at NETL sites June 5 and have begun collaborating with the Lab’s scientists, engineers and other professionals to gain direct experience in their fields and contribute to innovative projects to meet the nation’s energy needs. “NETL’s research associates are selected from an elite pool of candidates and represent the best and brightest in their fields,” said NETL Director Brian Anderson. “We are pleased they will be joining us as they contribute to projects and acquire experience to serve as the next generation of innovators.”