Aluminum is a critical element used in thousands of important products, but it can often interfere with quick and effective extraction of valuable rare earth elements (REEs) from coal waste byproducts. Because aluminum interferes with the recovery of REEs from some sources, NETL researchers developed an effective, renewable, technology that can detect aluminum in liquids for removal, clearing the way for effective recovery of REEs.

March is Women’s History Month, providing NETL with an excellent opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women from across the Lab. As part of the celebration, women throughout our organization were invited to explain why it’s important for NETL to foster gender diversity within its workforce and discuss the steps they take to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) or other careers at NETL.

NETL researchers who asked the question — “How can we use coal without burning it and generating greenhouse gas?” — have been awarded a U.S. patent for an invention that transforms coal into a game-changing material to manufacture valuable products and generate jobs in coal communities as the nation transitions to clean energy.

North Allegheny’s Marshall Middle School Team 1 captured first place at the 32nd Western Pennsylvania Science Bowl (WPASB) middle school competition, which was held Saturday, March 4. Twenty-five teams from the region competed in the event, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and NETL.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) and the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) today announced $4.5 million in funding for Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) to study ways to improve turbine performance and efficiency. This research supports our Nation’s efforts to ramp up the use of low-carbon fuels—including sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen for power production—to help achieve the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.  

NETL researchers have reported the successful use of microwaves to accelerate sorbent regeneration – results that can lead to substantial reduction of expensive water and energy requirements of some promising direct air capture (DAC) technologies.

Reduction and removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere are key objectives in the climate change challenge. NETL has been at the forefront of carbon capture and storage research for decades. Now, its carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology research is helping set the pace for additional innovations in direct air capture (DAC) and other technological approaches that are focused on attaining the Biden Administration’s goal of a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2050 through just and sustainable decarbonization pathways.

Conducting projects on reducing air pollutants, understanding the dynamics of extreme materials and finding ways to use waste products, NETL research associates Hang Zhou, Shun-Li Shang and Samuel Flett, guided by their Lab mentors, strive to address some of the nation’s greatest energy challenges.

North Allegheny Senior High School – Team 1 claimed victory at the 2023 Western Pennsylvania Science Bowl (WPASB) Regional High School Competition, held Saturday, Feb. 25, in a virtual format. Forty-one teams from 26 high schools participated in the contest, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and NETL. The WPASB tested students’ knowledge of math and science in a fast-paced, quiz-style tournament. The same format will be used during the middle school portion of the competition this Saturday, March 4.

Join NETL Thursday, March 9, from 10-11 a.m. (ET) for a discussion with a point source carbon capture expert and learn about the regional economic and workforce development opportunities this technology is expected to generate. The webinar will begin with comments from Anthony Armaly, coordinator of NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative (RWFI), followed by a presentation by Ron Munson, technology manager, Point Source Carbon Capture, and an economic and workforce development roundtable discussion.