DOE earmarks $30M for technology, research effort

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced up to $30 million in federal funding to develop technologies that can significantly reduce the cost of CO2 capture from coal-fired power plants.

Officials said under the guidance of the Office of Fossil Energy’s (FE’s) Novel and Enabling Carbon Capture Transformational Technologies projects would
support the development of solvent, sorbent and membrane technologies to address scientific challenges and knowledge gaps associated with reducing carbon capture expenditures.

All projects must address one area of interest, Development of Novel Transformational Materials and Processes, with three subtopics.

Novel Solvents for Lab-Scale R&D, which supports the development of high-performance capture systems via the design of new solvents and solvent mixtures. Novel Sorbents for Lab-Scale R&D, which supports the development of tailor-made sorbent materials targeted to specific carbon capture applications and specific sorbent materials that show enhanced long-term reactivity and recyclability and other properties. Novel Membranes for Lab-Scale R&D, which seeks to fill research gaps in either membrane transport properties or process designs.

The research and development requested aligns with the scientific challenges and knowledge gaps identified in the ministerial level Mission Innovation report. Adding successful applicant projects will join 11 other projects previously chosen to receive approximately $28.9 million during the first closing of the Funding Opportunity Announcement in fiscal year 2019.