Over the coming decades, the Nation’s demand for clean, affordable energy will continue to grow, requiring next-generation energy technologies that combine affordability and reliability with long-term environmental stewardship and sustainability. The well-being of our society requires an energy portfolio that is economically and environmentally acceptable and capable of tapping the full potential of all of our Nation’s energy resources. To meet these challenges and provide a stimulus for high-tech jobs that will spur economic development, public-private-academic partnerships are required to train the next generation of engineers and scientists. The knowledge base built from such partnerships is essential for new innovative strategies and energy technology platforms to emerge. To respond to these needs and challenges NETL-RUA was established. 

NETL-RUA’s universities—CMU, PSU, Pitt, VT, and WVU,—have a long history of successful contributions to energy technologies and the energy industry, and they have participated in the Department's fossil energy research program for many years. The proximity of these universities to NETL’s sites enables greater presence of university researchers onsite, facilitating co-collaboration among the universities’ recognized experts and NETL’s preeminent researchers. In turn, educational programs provide NETL researchers a platform to share their applied technology expertise with students and faculty at the universities.