Over the past month, our team has had several opportunities to speak directly with our stakeholders about the important work we are doing in the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Our portfolio of cutting-edge initiatives and projects—along with our efforts to build bridges between industry, non-governmental organizations, unions, and state and federal officials—will play a vital role in decarbonizing the economy and building a net-zero future. 

This week, Assistant Secretary Brad Crabtree is meeting with the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum to coordinate efforts and advance cost-effective technologies for carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Earlier this month he had the privilege of discussing the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) efforts in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and deployment at the Global CCS Institute Annual Forum, as well as the importance of collaboration between industry and government in order to reach our net-zero emissions goal by 2050 at the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s meeting in Atlanta. And Mr. Crabtree and I each met with the amazing undergraduate and graduate STEM students embarking on their Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship experiences this summer at their kickoff event. 

I’m also happy to share that registration is now open for the first-ever Carbon Negative Shot Summit, taking place on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. This virtual event will convene some of the foremost industry innovators, environmental and climate justice organizations, tribal nations, and many other organizations to increase collaboration on the deployment of commercially viable, just, and sustainable carbon dioxide removal in the United States. I hope you’ll join us – this is an event you don’t want to miss!   

This month, FECM is saying farewell and many thanks to Dr. Emily Grubert. Dr. Grubert has served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Carbon Management for the past year, leading FECM’s efforts to minimize the climate and environmental impacts of fossil energy through technology pathways including carbon capture, carbon dioxide (CO₂) removal, carbon transport and storage, and hydrogen production with carbon management. Thank you for bringing your expertise and insight to the team and helping us draw closer to a clean energy future, Dr. Grubert! 

Dr. Grubert will be succeeded by Noah Deich, who joined FECM two months ago as the Acting Director of Carbon Dioxide Removal and Conversion. Mr. Deich came to FECM from Carbon180, the U.S.-based non-governmental organization he co-founded to catalyze the development of a portfolio of carbon removal solutions. 

This month we completed our series highlighting recent students in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions (HBCU-OMI) Program. Check out our latest spotlight on Steve Yang, explore all the spotlights shared from February through June, and learn more about the program through our new infographic.

Keep your eyes on FECM’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn in the coming weeks as well for similar spotlights on some of the students participating in this summer’s MLEF Program!

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