U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory-led Teams to Accelerate Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), in partnership with the Offices of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) and Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), today announced the selection of four projects at our National Labs, totaling $15 million in federal funding, to accelerate commercializing carbon dioxide removal technologies, including direct air capture. The lab call sought proposals for collaborative projects with industry, academia, and other carbon dioxide removal experts to advance measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) best practices and capabilities.

“Carbon dioxide removal technologies represent a promising climate solution that is crucial to incentivize,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan. “OTT is delighted to work with FECM and OCED to support these four projects led by our National Laboratories in collaboration with more than 40 relevant industry partners. These projects will increase trust and transparency among carbon dioxide removal practitioners, buyers, and companies, and will ultimately accelerate commercial liftoff of these technologies.”

The lab call is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), as part of the DOE Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). The $15 million in federal funding will catalyze more than $11 million in cost-share from private sector, academic, and industry stakeholders. The following four projects have been selected for award negotiations:

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will develop an umbrella carbon dioxide removal MRV framework in collaboration with National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and a leading group of five industry partners headed up by CarbonPlan. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will also play a coordination role for the cohort of carbon dioxide removal MRV projects. This project will advance the technical foundations necessary to increase transparency and build confidence around a diverse portfolio of carbon dioxide removal services.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will develop an adaptive MRV framework for mineralization-based carbon dioxide removal pathways in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and 22 industry partners. The team will work closely with communities, especially often disadvantaged mining towns and coastal communities that would be prime candidates for mineralization-based carbon dioxide removal, to understand how MRV can be used to address their needs and concerns for increased trust and acceptance of carbon dioxide removal interventions.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory will develop and validate best practices for cement and concrete carbon dioxide removal pathways in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and nine industry partners. The cement and concrete industries present a nearly unparalleled opportunity for direct air capture coupled with permanent sequestration and provides a value-added end use for captured carbon dioxide, which is why it is crucial to advance MRV capabilities.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory will address critical MRV challenges for biomass carbon removal and storage pathways in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and eight industry partners. The project seeks to address a scientific knowledge gap regarding the durability of various bio-derived products and a lack of best practices and protocols needed for establishing transparent and consistent baselines and boundaries to evaluate and compare technologies.

Learn more about TCF BIL programs on the OTT program webpage.