DOE sets greenhouse gas research projects

May 11, 1998
The U.S. Department of Energy will help fund 12 research projects for the inexpensive capture and permanent disposal of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Energy Sec. Federico Peña said the projects will seek practical, affordable methods to prevent carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from building up in the atmosphere. Peña called for proposals last fall, and 62 were submitted. Each of the 12 selected will receive about $50,000 initally. If they are expanded,

The U.S. Department of Energy will help fund 12 research projects for the inexpensive capture and permanent disposal of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

Energy Sec. Federico Peña said the projects will seek practical, affordable methods to prevent carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from building up in the atmosphere. Peña called for proposals last fall, and 62 were submitted.

Each of the 12 selected will receive about $50,000 initally. If they are expanded, they could receive up to $1.5 million each.

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, will study the capture of CO2 by microalgae supported on artificial reefs. The reefs are made with cement products especially tailored for microalgae attachment.

McDermott Technologies Inc., Alliance, Ohio, will study the viability of large-scale CO2 transportation and deep ocean storage. It will focus on extending pipelaying technology beyond the current water depth limit of 1,300 m so CO2 can be deposited in water depths of 3,000 m or more.

Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, N.C., will develop an inorganic, palladium-based membrane that reforms hydrocarbon fuels into mixtures of hydrogen and CO2 and separates the high-value hydrogen. The remaining CO2 is recovered in a compressed form.

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., proposed an algae growth that could be applied to power plants. By optimizing the photosynthetic conditions for the algae in the scrubber, algae can grow rapidly, consuming CO2.

The University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center, Grand Forks, N.D., will develop chemistry and catalysts to convert CO2 to polymers in industrial quantities. Water-soluble polymers with high viscosities could be produced for enhanced oil recovery projects, while others could be developed for use in strong structural resins or ion-exchange materials.

Northwest Fuel Development Inc., Lake Oswego, Ore., will remove and sequester CO2 by injecting power plant flue gas into abandoned coal mines and using the residual coal in the mines to filter out and retain the CO2.

The University of Texas, Austin, will develop a database of U.S. saline aquifers where geological conditions promote the greatest probability of success of CO2 sequestration projects.

Battelle Institute, Columbus, Ohio, will study the injection of supercritical-phase CO2 in aquifers that are deeper than 800 m and have no known economic resources.

Air Products & Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa., will develop a low-cost technology to capture CO2 from flue gases and other process gases. It focuses on further developing water-tolerant, high-temperature sorbent materials.

Tampa Electric Co., Tampa, Fla., will use its 250-MW integrated gasification combined-cycle power plant technology to capture CO2 when oxygen rather than air is used in combustion.

TDA Research Inc., Wheat Ridge, Colo., proposed a process in which the fossil fuel (gasified coal or natural gas) transfers its energy to reduce a metal oxide, producing steam and high-pressure CO2 that can be sequestered with little additional compression.

Institute for Environmental Management Inc., Palo Alto, Calif., will study methods to accelerate the production of methane from landfills and capture the methane using surface membrane covers.

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