Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg

This week the U.S. Department of Energy selected twelve projects to receive approximately $34 million to develop advanced technologies that can progress the present state of small-scale solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) hybrid systems. These research and development efforts come as a part of the Department's SOFC program and will benefit the United States and its global partners for decades to come. 

SOFCs are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of a fuel and oxidant directly into electrical energy. They produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction and not through a combustion process, making them very unique. The projects selected as a part of this funding opportunity announcement (issued in May) represent a significant step toward the goal of making SOFC systems commercially available for hydrogen production and power generation.

To learn more about the selected projects, visit the Office of Fossil Energy's website. 

For the past 25 years, the MLEF program has provided students with the opportunity to gain real-world, hands-on research experience with the Office of Fossil Energy (FE). 

During a 10-week appointment, participants train under the mentorship of engineers and physical scientists while working on mission-focused research projects. Because this year presented unique circumstances, our mentors made sure that we were able to offer projects to all of the selected candidates during the transition to a virtual program.

In recognition of everyone’s fantastic work, we met with a few of the 2020 participants who recently concluded their fellowships to learn more about their experience.

Read part I and part II of the MLEF experience blogs.

FE is funding several research and development projects aimed at reducing the cost of treating and reusing produced water; the overall goal is to transform produced water from a waste to a resource.

The Department of Energy has previously invested approximately $100 million into produced water projects and continues to collaborate with industry, universities, state governments, other federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

Learn more about the importance of produced water and FE's research efforts in this area.

In an ongoing effort to maximize the value of the Nation’s oil resources, the Department of Energy and its partners are investing in the first-ever polymer flood field pilot on the Alaska North Slope.

To increase the amount of oil recovery on the ANS, the Department has invested approximately $7 million in a five-year effort to evaluate polymer flood technology and its application to heavy oil enhanced oil recovery in Alaska. 

Read this blog to learn about the project's recent accomplishments to date.