DOE awards $24M for research, development on direct air capture

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $24 million in funding for nine research projects to develop new methods of capturing and storing carbon from the air.

This process, known as direct air capture (DAC), is an expanding field in decarbonization and a key facet of the plan to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“Finding ways to remove and store carbon directly from the air is an absolute necessity in our fight against the climate crisis,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “This investment in carbon capture technology research through universities and DOE laboratories will position America as a leader in this growing field, create good-paying jobs, and help make our carbon-free future a reality.”

Direct air capture technology requires significant investments in research and development to create a cost-effective and economically viable technology that can be deployed at scale. These funding awards seek to uncover those breakthroughs in overcoming the limitations of currently available technologies.

The nine awards are going to two national laboratories and seven universities, including North Carolina A&T State University, a Historically Black University.

Two of the recipients, Washington State University and Oklahoma State University, will use energy efficient approaches to convert carbon dioxide capture into useful products. The University of Illinois, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Case Western Reserve University will advance novel approaches that use electricity or light to control the capture and/or release of carbon dioxide. North Carolina A&T State University, Oregon State University, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will explore new materials and chemical compounds with the potential for improved efficiency for carbon dioxide capture and regeneration. Finally, Northwestern University will examine how the dynamical behavior of promising carbon capture systems impacts their carbon dioxide capture and release.

The total funding is $24 million for projects lasting up to three years in duration.