Fossil Energy Monthly Highlights
Office of Fossil Energy Releases Request for Information To Advance Critical Material and Rare Earth Element Sustainability
This month, the U.S Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) released a request for information (RFI) that seeks input from stakeholders on critical materials (CM) and rare earth elements (REE). Since 2014, FE and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have extracted, separated, recovered, and purified CM and REE from coal-based materials.
Advances in CM and REE sustainability will improve the United States’ ability to overcome supply disruptions, restrictions, or embargos of certain CM and REE by re-establishing world-leading supply chains. Achieving this sustainability requires rigorous application of the latest technologies across the full mineral “lifecycle”—exploration, development, utilization, and recycling of CM and the metals made from them.
FE is interested in gathering information relevant to the following Topic Areas:
- Resource Characterization and Technology Development
- Sustainable Resource Extraction and Beneficiation Technology Development
- Extractive Metallurgy, Reduction and Alloying Technology Development
- International Engagements, Standards, and Supply Chain Development
U.S. Department of Energy Invests $6.4M to Develop Hydrogen-Fueled Turbines
This month, FE announced $6.4 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects for university research on turbine systems, with a focus on hydrogen fuels.
There is renewed interest in the use of clean-burning hydrogen for turbine-based electricity generation, as well as in hydrogen production from fossil fuels coupled with carbon capture, utilization, and storage. These projects have the capability of generating low-cost hydrogen with net-negative carbon emissions.
Learn more about the opportunity on the FE website.
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DOE and IEA Clean Coal Centre Collaborate on Global Knowledge Network
Acting on a recommendation from the Department of Energy (DOE), the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Clean Coal Centre (CCC) recently established a global network of Knowledge Partners to share information on making coal a cleaner source of energy. DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy is a major supporter of the CCC’s work and chairs its Executive Committee.
To date, membership in the knowledge network exceeds 100—with members representing 27 countries, 9 of which are developing nations.
DOE will work with the IEA CCC to foster strong collaboration among its knowledge partners and to continue exploring innovative technologies for coal‑generated electricity and alternative uses for coal.
U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Develops Coal Power Plant Flexibility Assessment and Benchmarking Tool (Flex Tool)
The U.S.-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP), launched in April 2018 by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi, set the stage for deeper and more meaningful engagement on energy issues through government and industry channels.
One of SEP’s four technical pillars, the Power & Energy Efficiency Pillar, is co-chaired by Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg. Under his leadership, the Department of Energy, in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), led the development of a user-friendly assessment and benchmarking tool to evaluate the flexibility of existing coal power plants. This public domain tool, the templates for which are available via EPRI, identifies and prioritizes technical issues and roadblocks that impede flexible operation. The Flex Tool evaluates over 600 plant design and operating parameters to help coal plant operators with developing strategies to reliably operate their plants in a cycling mode and avoid costly unplanned shutdowns that can be caused by severe unit cycling.
The importance of this tool cannot be overstated. It will help avoid operational and maintenance problems, and their associated costs, that occur when coal plants designed for baseload operations shift to cycling operations. This shift is increasingly common as the coal power industry responds to increasing intermittent renewable energy generation on the grid, low natural gas prices, and other market forces.
Visit NETL’s website to learn more
U.S. Department of Energy to Invest $3.3M to Develop Water Management Projects for Thermal Power Generation
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has announced $3.3 million in Federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0002399, Water Management for Thermal Power Generation.
The FOA seeks to support the design, construction, and operation of engineering-scale prototypes of water treatment technologies for the nation’s existing and future fleet of thermoelectric power plants. It is envisioned that fossil asset owners or operators and technology developers will collaborate and advance near-term water treatment solutions that can be commercially deployed.
DOE Invests $8.7 Million to Foster New Uses for Domestic Coal Resources
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has selected 14 projects to receive $8.7 million in Federal funding for cost-shared research and development, with the goal of fostering new uses for domestic coal resources.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the projects, which will support the Lab’s Advanced Coal Processing Technologies Program. The program is focused on improving coal feedstock for power production and steel-making, producing high-value solid products from coal, and alternative technologies to produce high-performance carbon material from coal.
Read more.
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