The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has announced the selection of 16 carbon storage projects to receive over $44 million in cost-shared research and development funding. This initiative is part of DOE’s Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE), aimed at mitigating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
These projects will address critical research gaps necessary for deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, including developing commercial-scale geologic storage sites capable of storing over 50 million metric tons of CO2 from industrial sources like cement and steel production, which contribute approximately 21 percent of U.S. carbon emissions.
“CCS will play a very important role as the world moves toward a lower-carbon economy,” said Lynn Orr, DOE’s Under Secretary for Science and Energy. “The U.S. must continue a leadership role in the development and deployment of CO2 storage technologies as a key element of a diversified energy economy. The funding announced today through the CarbonSAFE initiative will help to address technical barriers to commercial-scale carbon storage as worldwide demand for these types of clean energy solutions continues to rise.”
The selected projects will build on lessons learned from FE’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships’ large-scale field projects while addressing new technical challenges for carbon storage. These efforts enable industries to operate with reduced greenhouse gas emissions and promote research and development to ensure safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable storage.
Under CarbonSAFE, the selected projects aim to develop integrated CCS complexes ready for operation by 2025 through sequential phases: Integrated CCS Pre-Feasibility, Storage Complex Feasibility, Site Characterization, Permitting, and Construction. The current selections apply to the first two phases.
**CCS Pre-feasibility Projects – Phase I**
Ten recipients representing thirteen projects were awarded more than $15 million in federal funding under Phase I. These projects will conduct pre-feasibility studies for commercial-scale geological storage sites, forming CCS coordination teams to address regulatory, legislative, technical, public policy, commercial, financial, and other issues specific to commercial-scale deployment.
1. **Carbon Management Institute at the University of Wyoming (Laramie, Wyoming)** — Two projects: assessment at Rock Springs Uplift (RSU) and evaluation near Dry Fork Power Station ($2,385,919).
2. **Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (Champaign, Illinois)** — Plan development for an integrated CCS project in Illinois East Sub-Basin region ($1,212,187).
3. **University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)** — Initial characterization near-offshore Gulf of Mexico ($1,194,383).
4. **University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)** — Evaluation near PacifiCorp’s Hunter Power Plant ($1,331,228).
5. **Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus, Ohio)** — Three projects: Mid-Continent Hub in Nebraska/Kansas; Central Appalachian Basin; Northern Michigan Basin ($3,590,512).
6. **Electric Power Research Institute (Palo Alto, California)** — Assessment in southern San Joaquin Valley ($969136).
7. **University of North Dakota (Grand Forks)** — Feasibility study integrating CO2 capture from Gerald Gentleman Station ($1244473).
8. **University Kansas/Kansas Geological Survey** — Implementation challenges in Kansas ($1186504).
9. **Columbia University** — Permanent CO2 storage in deep ocean basalt formations ($1189534).
10. **Louisiana State University A&M College** — Multidisciplinary team analysis in South Louisiana ($1052600).
**Storage Complex Feasibility Projects – Phase II**
Three projects received more than $29 million under Phase II for initial characterization and feasibility establishment:
1. **Southern States Energy Board (Norcross Georgia)** — Geologic storage complex adjacent Mississippi Power Company Kemper County Energy Facility ($11220537).
2. **University North Dakota** — Commercial-scale geologic storage complex central North Dakota ($8787622).
3. **Board Trustees University Illinois** — Feasibility within Mt Simon sandstone formation Macon County Illinois ($8906264).
Phase II selections were made prior to August 23 2016 closing date with further applications accepted until December 1 2017 subject availability funds.
The Office Fossil Energy funds R&D demonstration projects reduce risk cost advanced carbon technologies further sustainable use nation fossil resources visit website sign up FE news announcements learn more National Energy Technology Laboratory visit NETL website
###
