FECM Newsletter: Justice & Equity at DOE, $156M for a First-of-a-Kind Critical Minerals Facility, a New Way to Explore Open FOAs

Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management sent this bulletin at 09/27/2022 12:09 PM EDT

FECM Newsletter: September 2022

A Message from Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been shining a spotlight this month on energy justice and what we are doing to ensure that we put justice and equity at the center of our work.

Earlier this month, in DOE’s first-ever Justice Week, leaders across the Department addressed key policies and initiatives that align DOE’s work with the priorities in the Justice40 Initiative. The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) is committed to advancing energy justice and supporting all of DOE’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility endeavors—you can read more about how we are acting on that commitment here.

Over the course of this month and into October, we are working with partners around the country and the world on advancing a clean energy and industrial future. In early September, I had the chance to attend a two-day listening session and solutions workshop on carbon management with Tribal leaders and other stakeholders representing various Western Tribes with considerable fossil and renewable energy resources. Last week’s Global Clean Energy Action Forum brought thousands of climate and clean energy leaders from government, industry, labor, nongovernmental organizations, and communities from around the world and our nation to address barriers and highlight policy action to accelerate deployment of clean energy and decarbonization of industry. And the Pittsburgh Coal Conference, also last week, fostered an exchange of technical information and environmental and climate policy-related discussion among representatives from industry, government, and academia.

Next month, I’m traveling to Cape Town, South Africa, to participate in Africa Oil Week, where representatives from more than 80 countries and 500+ companies are expected to gather to discuss advancing African energy access and economic and energy security goals in a future low-carbon global market. Follow FECM’s social media that week for same-day updates on the topics being discussed. After that I am traveling to Mozambique to learn more about that country’s efforts to develop its energy resources and critical minerals.

I’m looking forward to this opportunity to identify areas of collaboration with my African counterparts as they determine how to best meet the significant domestic energy needs of hundreds of millions of their citizens who lack access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy and to ensure a secure African energy future as part of global efforts to meet our shared climate goals.

And of course, I look forward to continuing to collaborate with carbon management advocates and stakeholders like you, as we work to reshape our energy future and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Sincerely,

Brad Crabtree

Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management

Centering Equity and Justice in DOE’s Carbon Management Efforts

Justice and equity are at the forefront of DOE’s work to advance clean energy and decarbonize our industrial economy. Read our new blog to learn how FECM is advancing justice and equity in how we train, hire, and fund carbon management research, development, and demonstration projects.

Read the Blog

Meet a Carbon Management All-Star Joining the FECM Team

Matt Antes

This month, Matt Antes joined FECM as a Management and Program Analyst in the Strategic Engagement division. In this role, he provides policy and technical expertise on carbon management strategies, including carbon capture and carbon dioxide removal. He also coordinates DOE engagement in strategic partnerships with other agencies, research organizations, and governments.

Prior to joining DOE, Mr. Antes served as Director of the Climate Change division at a Washington, D.C. area consultancy, where he provided contract support to DOE for over 17 years for the Offices of International Affairs, Policy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and FECM. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri, and a master's degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

What's New in Carbon Management

America’s First-of-a-Kind Critical Minerals Refinery Will Demonstrate the Commercial Viability of Turning Mine Waste into Clean Energy

DOE announced up to $156 million in funding for a first-of-a-kind facility to extract and separate rare earth elements and other critical minerals from unconventional sources like mining waste. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this new project will boost domestic manufacturing and secure domestic supply chains of the critical minerals that are crucial to create clean energy technologies and other indispensable products that we rely on every day. Learn More

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $4.9 Billion to Deploy Carbon Capture, Transport, and Storage Infrastructure

Last week, DOE announced nearly $4.9 billion for three new efforts authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to bolster investments in the carbon management industry and to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere through power generation and industrial operations. Read More

DOE Awards $29 Million and Announces $32 Million Newly Available to Advance Clean Hydrogen Technology

DOE announced the award of $28.9 million to 15 industry- and university-led projects, as well as a new $32 million funding opportunity for research that will advance cutting-edge clean hydrogen technology solutions. The funding will support clean hydrogen uses for a more available and affordable fuel for electricity generation, industrial decarbonization, and transportation fuel. Learn More

DOE Invests $4.7 Million to Improve Hydrogen Turbine Performance and Reduce Hydrogen-based Energy Costs

FECM announced almost $4.7 million in funding for six projects to advance the development of ceramic-based materials to improve the efficiency of hydrogen-fueled turbines that may one day be used in clean power plants. Electricity made from clean hydrogen will help in achieving the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of a zero-carbon U.S. power sector by 2035. Learn More

FECM’s Game-Changing Work to Turn Wastewater into a Valued Resource

In the fossil energy industry, water is critical to almost every phase of operations, and huge quantities of highly contaminated water are created as a byproduct. Learn why lowering the cost of treating this wastewater is both a practical necessity and a potential source of many benefits for the American public. Read the Blog

Eighteen Projects Receive $6.4 Million to Support University Training and Research for Decarbonization and Environmental Remediation

DOE selected nine projects through the University Coal Research program and nine projects through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions program to conduct early-stage research and development of decarbonization technologies and environmental remediation, and to develop strategies to enhance the engagement of minority-serving institutions on FECM-related research. Learn More

DOE Invests $31 Million to Advance Carbon Capture and Storage for Natural Gas Power and Industrial Sectors

FECM announced more than $31 million in funding for ten projects to develop carbon capture technologies capable of capturing at least 95 percent of carbon dioxide emissions generated from natural gas power plants, waste-to-energy power plants, and industrial applications, including cement and steel. Deploying these technologies in the power and industrial sectors at commercial scale is needed to advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero greenhouse gas economy by 2050. Learn More

2022 Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Students Share Their Thoughts on HBCUs and Their FECM Summer Experiences

To mark Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week, we spoke with three students who participated in MLEF’s ten-week summer research fellowship this year. Find out what these students love about their HBCUs, and how their summer MLEF experience helped expand their horizons and grow their careers. Read More

**NETL Work to Detect Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Nets National Geographic Recognition**

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) researchers’ detective work to locate abandoned and undocumented oil and gas wells using drone flights, electromagnetic field detectors, light detecting and ranging technology, and even operation of a user-friendly tip line were highlighted in a recent National Geographic article. The article details how NETL’s Natalie Pekney and Leidos geologist Jim Sams work with old photos and drawings, combined with data gathered by remote sensing, to detect undocumented oil and gas wells that are often hidden by overgrown foliage throughout the Appalachian Region.

New Resource to Explore FECM’s Open FOAs

FECM recently developed and launched summary webpages to provide easier access to key information on the Office’s funding opportunities, including background information, eligibility criteria, key dates, funding amounts, and relevant resources. This new resource summarizes funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), notices of intent to issue funding, and requests for information in plain language. All of this information can be accessed from the “Services” tab on FECM’s homepage.