The Crosscutting Research program serves as a bridge between basic and applied research by fostering the development of innovative systems for improving availability, efficiency, and environmental performance of fossil energy systems with carbon capture and storage. This crosscutting effort is implemented through the research and development of sensors, controls, and advanced materials. This program area also develops computation, simulation, and modeling tools focused on optimizing plant design and shortening developmental timelines. In addition, the Crosscutting Research program area supports science and engineering education in minority colleges and universities.
Plant Optimization Technologies
Sensors, Controls and Other Novel Concepts. The Instrumentation, Sensors & Control element focuses on the development of sensors critical to the implementation and optimization of advanced fossil fuel-based power generation systems, including sensors capable of monitoring key parameters (temperature, pressure, and gas composition) and operating in high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive environments.
Materials R&D. Crosscutting Materials R&D focuses on developing fundamental materials applicable to the full range of fossil fuel power generation technologies.
Water Management R&D. The Water Management element focuses on water management improvements in thermoelectric systems with a Department-wide research and development effort focused on identifying and mitigating challenges in water use and reuse.
Coal Utilization Science
Computational Systems Dynamics. The Computational System Dynamics element develops the capability to utilize immersive, interactive, and distributed visualization technology in the design of advanced fossil power systems under development in the Advanced Energy Systems activity.
Computational Energy Science. The Computational Energy Science element develops models of physical phenomenon occurring in fossil fuel conversion processes as well as carbon capture systems.
Energy Analyses
Environmental Activities. Analyses include potential environmental impacts (e.g., on water quality, air emissions, solid waste disposal, climate change) of fossil fuel use and large-scale deployment of different generations of CCS. Of particular interest are the life cycle environmental emissions for existing and advanced fossil fuel technologies.
Technical and Economic Analyses. The Technical and Economic Analyses element supports program strategic planning by identifing major challenges, technologies, and advanced concepts that have the potential to improve the efficiency, cost, and/or environmental performance of fossil energy systems.
University Training and Research
University Coal Research. The University Coal Research program provides grants to colleges and universities to support research consistent with the CCS and Power Systems program.
HBCU’s Education and Training. The Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Other Minority Institutions (OMI) education and training program awards research grants to HBCUs and OMIs which emphasize longer-term research consistent with the CCS and power Systems program.
International Activities
The Office of Fossil Energy's Clean Coal Office works with international organizations to facilitate export of U.S. climate technology and energy services to the developing world. We are actively engaged in multilateral organizations including the IEA, United Nations, WEC, and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum while managing bilateral agreements with key countries such as China and India.
