The Department of Energy will make a $6 million investment to train students from historically black colleges in environmental remediation of pollution from coal-based electricity generation and provide coal research funds.
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions program will receive $2.2 million, with the department’s University Coal Research program will receive $3.1 million, the Department of Energy said in a release.
“Climate change is everyone’s problem, which is why climate solutions require viewpoints from a diverse and highly skilled workforce that will keep us competitive in a new net-zero economy,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “The scientific brilliance cultivated at America’s higher education institutions, like HBCUs and other MSIs, is unrivaled. DOE is proud to support the next generation of innovators who will build upon and maximize the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic climate investments.”
Climate solutions are needed to curb climate change.
The two programs will support approximately 20 student engineers and scientists. The programs have supported more than 185 students, the Department of Energy said.
Guided early-stage research and development of new decarbonization approaches will be included in funding opportunities.
The funding supports remediation of pollution such as acid mine drainage, coal refuse and coal ash produced when mining and combusting coal at tens of thousands of abandoned mines across the nation.
Valuable minerals and materials may be left behind that are used in hydrogen fuel cells, semiconductors, wind turbines and electric vehicles.
