NETL Accomplishments in Brief

the lab

2010
2

Advancing energy options to fuel our 

economy, strengthen our security, 

and improve our environment.

Mission
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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CONTENTS

NETL Mission _____________________________________________ 2

Letter from the Director ____________________________________ 4

100 Year Anniversary ______________________________________ 5

 NETL-Regional University Alliance________________________________ 6

 The Energy Challenge _________________________________________ 6

Technical Awards__________________________________________ 7

 2010 R&D 100 Awards _________________________________________ 7

 USGS Director’s Award for Exemplary Service to the Nation ____________ 7

 “Coal-Fired Project of the Year” Award _____________________________ 8

Clean Air_________________________________________________ 8

 TOXECONTM________________________________________________ 8

Carbon Capture and Sequestration___________________________ 9

 Perfluorocarbon Tracers _______________________________________ 9

 Third Carbon Sequestration Atlas Released_________________________ 9

Coal Gasification _________________________________________ 10

 NETL Launches Online Gasification Resources __________________ 10

Energy Efficiency_________________________________________ 10

 Clean Cities Initiative Wins Golden Bullet Award ________________ 10

 Recovery Act Milestone: 300,000 Homes Weatherized ____________ 11

Reliable Supply __________________________________________ 11

 Shale Gas Technology Breakthroughs ____________________________ 11

 Gas Hydrates ______________________________________________ 12

Water-Energy____________________________________________ 12

 Hyperbaric Centrifuge _______________________________________ 12

Outreach/Education ______________________________________ 13

 Collaborating with the JASON Project ___________________________ 13

Our Vision for the Future __________________________________ 14
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Letter from the Director

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)

celebrated its centennial anniversary of energy research, development, and commercialization for 

the people of the United States. For 100 years, NETL has developed technologies and processes 

that answer pressing energy issues and provide our Nation’s policymakers with the scientific 

information they need to set sound energy policy. 

On this occasion, NETL officially launched the NETL-Regional University Alliance (NETL-RUA). 

NETL-RUA was established to train the next generation of researchers, introduce advanced 

technologies to market, and spur economic development in our region. This partnership will help 

America meet today’s critical energy challenges.

In addition to launching NETL-RUA, NETL realized a host of technical accomplishments, received 

recognition for our contributions to the energy industry, and released publications critical to fellow 

research organizations and other stakeholders. A full review of our 2010 accomplishments will be 

available this spring in the form of our 2010 NETL Accomplishments Report. Until then, I invite you to 

review NETL Accomplishments in Brief to learn more about our researchers’ diverse contributions to 

America’s energy past, present, and future. 

On behalf of NETL, thank you for your interest in our laboratory.

Anthony V. Cugini, Director

National Energy Technology Laboratory
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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100 Year Anniversary

For the last century, NETL has been on a quest to find energy answers. On May 16, 1910, the newly created 

U.S. Bureau of Mines established the Pittsburgh Experiment Station—NETL’s first predecessor organization. Since 

then, our laboratory has evolved from a local organization with a single focus into a multi-faceted national laboratory 

within the Department of Energy. 

Today, our researchers are developing technologies to manage man-made carbon dioxide emissions, reduce water 

use in power plants, and match renewable technologies with traditional energy sectors. They are leading the fields 

of computational science; geologic, environmental, and energy systems; and technology commercialization. And 

they are striving to tap the world’s methane hydrate stores, modernize our Nation’s electric grid, and realize truly 

sustainable energy use.

On the occasion of our 100 year anniversary, NETL hosted the launch of the 

NETL-Regional University Alliance and dedicated the Energy Challenge, a new 

permanent exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. Through these 

efforts, NETL is helping our country produce safe, affordable, abundant energy for 

today—and for the centuries to come.
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The Energy Challenge 

In 2010, NETL dedicated the Energy Challenge, a 

permanent educational exhibit at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie 

Science Center. The Energy Challenge pits players 

against one another as they buzz in answers to multiplechoice questions. Designed to teach children and 

adults about the science of energy, the exhibit makes 

learning fun, drawing participants in with its game show 

style and animated videos. The Energy Challenge will 

help the Science Center’s young visitors start thinking 

about careers in science and engineering. It will also 

teach adults and children how energy works, how 

we can conserve and reduce our energy use, and the 

importance of energy in our daily lives.

100 Year Anniversary

NETL officials and representatives from the five universities form the NETL’s new Energy Challenge exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center.

Regional University Alliance Executive Committee.

NETL-Regional University Alliance

On October 13, 2010, NETL launched the NETL-Regional 

University Alliance (NETL-RUA), a partnership between 

NETL and five regional universities dedicated to developing 

and deploying advanced energy technologies. NETLRUA—which includes Carnegie Mellon University, Penn 

State, the University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and 

West Virginia University—is leveraging the partners’ 

combined facilities, specialty equipment, and staff to 

accelerate the development and commercialization of 

next-generation technologies. As NETL-RUA focuses on 

technology innovations to resolve our Nation’s energy 

and environmental challenges, the Alliance will invigorate 

regional and national economies by spurring new hightech and manufacturing jobs. By creating a culture of 

energy leadership through promotion of education and 

entrepreneurship. NETL-RUA will prepare the energy leaders 

of tomorrow.
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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Technical Awards

2010 R&D 100 Awards 

Dr. Paul Jablonski and Dr. David Alman 

accepted an R&D 100 Award for the 

cerium oxide coating they developed 

to reduce oxidation rates in stainless 

steels and nickel superalloys. The 

advanced surface treatment extends the life of power 

plant components made from these metals.

Higher efficiency in energy production conserves fuel 

resources while protecting the environment, but higher 

efficiency generally means more severe operating 

conditions. Jablonski and Alman’s coating will help 

reduce the frequency of expensive plant shutdowns 

by stemming the premature failure of components 

associated with such extreme conditions. The coating 

is applied as slurry via brushing, spraying, or dipping. 

This application method is simpler and less costly than 

alternative approaches, so the surface treatment also 

offers substantial savings.

The prestigious R&D 100 Awards are selected by 

an independent panel of judges and the editors of 

R&D Magazine and presented annually to the 

100 most technologically significant products to enter 

the marketplace over the previous calendar year.

The Deepwater Horizon spill as seen by NASA’s Terra satellite on 

May 24, 2010.

An NETL researcher paints cerium oxide/activator slurry onto the 

surface of a solid oxide fuel cell interconnect plate.

USGS Director’s Award for 

Exemplary Service to the Nation

Three NETL employees have 

been honored with the U.S. 

Geological Survey’s award for 

Exemplary Service to the Nation. Dr. Grant Bromhal, 

Dr. George Guthrie, and Dr. Frank Shaffer were 

recognized for contributions during the Deepwater 

Horizon oil spill response. NETL’s expertise was called 

on to answer questions about the amount of oil leaking 

from the Macondo Well during a period of intense 

public scrutiny. NETL used its high speed particle 

imaging (HSPI) system to assess the oil leak rate, and 

resulting estimates were used by the Unified Command 

to set the level of response in the Gulf of Mexico. HSPI 

has long been used in a range of applications, from 

energy systems to cardiovascular medicine.

Image courtesy of NASA
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Clean Air

TOXECONTM

An innovative technology that can help coal-based 

power plants comply with mercury emissions standards 

was successfully demonstrated in a recently concluded 

project. Under a cooperative agreement with NETL, 

WE Energies demonstrated the TOXECONTM process in 

a $53 million project at the Presque Isle Power Plant in 

Marquette, MI.

TOXECON is a cost-effective option for capturing 

pollutants before they are emitted into the atmosphere. 

The technology, which resulted from NETL research and 

was patented by the Electric Power Research Institute, 

significantly reduces mercury emissions, efficiently 

collects particulate matter from the power plant exhaust 

stream, and maximizes the use of coal combustion 

by-products. 

During its 3-year demonstration period, TOXECON 

removed more than 90 percent of the mercury 

contained in the flue gas of three 90-megawatt units 

firing subbituminous Powder River Basin coal. Annually, 

the process is expected to capture 97 pounds of 

mercury and 250 tons of particulate matter at the 

Presque Isle plant.

Great River Energy’s Coal Creek Station in Underwood, ND.

“Coal-Fired Project of the Year” 

Award 

An innovative project demonstrating DryFiningTM has 

been named 2010 Coal-Fired Project of the Year by 

the editors of Power Engineering magazine. The award 

honors technologies that “ushered in breakthrough 

solutions” in coal-fired, gas-fired, nuclear, renewable, and 

sustainable energy categories.

Nearly one-third of the electric power generated 

by coal in this country comes from plants that burn 

high-moisture coal. DryFining simultaneously dries 

and refines high-moisture coal and reduces potentially 

harmful emissions. The process not only uses power 

plant waste heat to reduce moisture, but also generates 

more energy from less coal. 

The technology was developed with funding from the 

Clean Coal Power Initiative, managed by NETL, and 

was originally implemented at Great River Energy’s 

Coal Creek Station in Underwood, ND. Great River 

Energy later expanded the project, building full-scale 

dryer modules for the entire Coal Creek Station. Cost 

of installation was low, and operations reduced station 

expenses by more than $20 million annually. 
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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Research helicopter with SEQURETM well finding technology.

Carbon Capture and Sequestration 

Perfluorocarbon Tracers

The ability to detect and track the movement of CO2

in underground geologic storage reservoirs—an 

important component of carbon capture and storage 

technology—has been successfully demonstrated at a 

New Mexico test site.

The SEQURETM tracer technology, developed by NETL 

scientists, was successfully tested at the San Juan Basin 

coalbed test site. SEQURETM uses perfluorocarbon tracers 

to provide a verifiable way to measure CO2 movement 

and provide leak detection.

In 2009, the patent-pending technology earned 

R&D Magazine’s prestigious R&D 100 Award, emblematic 

of one of the 100 most significant products introduced 

to the marketplace during the past year. It received its 

first R&D 100 Award in 2007 as a major breakthrough 

in carbon storage and was touted as the only 

commercially available technology capable of searching 

vast areas for abandoned oil and gas wells in reservoirs 

having the potential to store CO2.

Third Carbon Sequestration Atlas 

Released

There could be as much as 5,700 years of CO2 storage 

potential in geologic formations in the United States 

and portions of Canada, according to the latest edition 

of NETL’s Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States 

and Canada (Atlas III).

Atlas III updates previously released U.S. and Canadian 

CO2 storage data and provides new information 

on the activities of DOE’s seven Regional Carbon 

Sequestration Partnerships. Atlas III also outlines 

DOE’s Carbon Sequestration Program, international 

CCS collaborations, worldwide CCS projects, and CCS 

regulatory issues. There are two editions of the atlas 

available: an interactive version located at the National 

Carbon Explorer (NATCARB) website www.natcarb.org/

index.html and a print version available for viewing and 

downloading at the NETL website www.netl.doe.gov/

technologies/carbon_seq/refshelf/atlasIII/index.html.
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Energy Efficiency

Clean Cities aims to reduce petroleum consumption by promoting 

alternative fuels and advanced vehicle solutions.

NETL’s MFIX software simulates a gasification system.

NETL Launches Online Gasification 

Resources

NETL’s Gasification Technologies Program supports research 

and development to convert carbon-based materials into 

synthesis gas, known as syngas, while sequestering 90 percent 

of the CO2 stream and minimizing impact to the cost of 

electricity. Gasification offers an alternative to more established 

means of converting feedstocks such as coal and biomass into 

electricity and other products. In fact, it is poised to become 

the technology of choice for future coal-based plants, which 

will co-produce power, fuels, and chemicals with near-zero 

emissions.

Two major gasification resources are now available on the 

NETL website. The first, a new public resource database called 

“Gasifipedia,” is a comprehensive online collection of resources 

to promote better understanding of gasification technology. 

The second, “The World Gasification Database,” documents the 

worldwide growth of gasification. It contains gasification plant 

data, describes the current world gasification industry, and 

identifies near-term planned capacity additions. It also reveals 

that worldwide gasification capacity has continued to grow 

for the past several decades and is now at 70,817 megawatts 

thermal of syngas output at operating plants with a total of 

412 gasifiers.

Visit the Gasifipedia website at: www.netl.doe.gov/

technologies/coalpower/gasification/gasifipedia/TOC.html.

Clean Cities Initiative Wins Golden 

Bullet Award 

DOE’s Clean Cities partnership, including offices at multiple 

NETL locations, was awarded the 2010 “Golden Bullet Award” 

by the Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Institute for success in 

deploying alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. 

Established in 1993, the Clean Cities initiative provides tools 

and resources that support local decisions to voluntarily 

adopt practices to reduce petroleum use in transportation. 

Clean Cities manages investments made by federal, state, 

and local governments, as well as transit authorities, in clean 

vehicles and alternative fuel infrastructure. Twenty-five 

cost-shared projects will put more than 9,000 alternative 

fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road, establish 

542 refueling locations, and install more than 1,000 electric 

charging stations nationwide. These projects include natural 

and renewable gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, 

and hybrid technologies and will displace 38 million gallons 

of petroleum annually. 

The initiative is part of the Vehicle Technology Program 

within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy. Clean Cities supports 87 local coalitions that promote 

the growth of alternative fuels and energy efficient vehicles. 

For more information, visit the Clean Cities website at: 

www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities.

Coal Gasification
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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Reliable Supply

Shale Gas Technology 

Breakthroughs

A paper presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers 

2010 Technical Conference and Exhibition titled “Thirty Years 

of Gas Shale Fracturing: What Have We Learned?” recognizes 

NETL for its leadership in the development of technology 

drivers for shale gas production. Authored by George E. 

King of the Apache Corporation, the paper states that 

advancements resulting from NETL research, demonstration, 

and development have directly contributed to the growth 

of U.S. shale gas production, which now amounts to nearly 

14 percent of dry natural gas produced in the United States; 

by 2035 that share could reach 45 percent. 

 

In the 1980s and early 1990s, NETL collaborated with 

industry to advance horizontal drilling techniques. The first 

air-drilled 2,000-foot horizontal Devonian shale well was 

completed by NETL and its partners in the Appalachian 

Basin. NETL also worked with industry to test hydraulic 

fracturing. During well demonstrations, technical barriers 

and research needs were identified, and NETL worked 

with industry to develop high-efficiency “down-hole” 

tools. Today, due to NETL’s early leadership in fracture 

mapping—a technique using seismic responses to identify 

the orientation and extent of hydraulically created fractures 

companies can successfully map hydraulic fractures, 

including those in the Marcellus shale and other gas plays 

currently under development.

Horizontal drilling can reach isolated pockets of oil gas, greatly 

reducing the “drilling footprint” above ground.

Recovery Act Milestone: 300,000 

Homes Weatherized 

In January of 2011, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary 

Steven Chu announced that states and territories across the 

country have weatherized more than 300,000 low-income 

homes under the Recovery Act, a major milestone in the 

Department’s efforts to reduce home energy bills for 

families.

 

The weatherization program, which NETL helps manage, 

is helping families save money on their energy bills by 

improving home energy efficiency with upgrades like 

insulation, air-sealing, and more efficient heating and 

cooling systems. The program has also trained a new 

generation of clean energy workers and currently employs 

more than 15,000 people. 

“Through the weatherization program,” said Secretary Chu, 

“we are laying the groundwork for a broader efficiency 

industry in the United States that will help grow our 

economy while saving money for American families.” 

Weatherization assistance reduces energy consumption for 

low-income families 35 percent on average, saving families 

about $400 on their heating and cooling bills in the first year 

alone. Nationwide, the weatherization of 300,000 homes is 

estimated to save $161 million in energy costs in just the first 

year. 
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Water-Energy

Hyperbaric Centrifuge 

Every year, U.S. coal producers discard up to 2 billion 

tons of moisture-laden fines (small, coarse coal 

particles) in containment ponds or impoundments 

as slurry. In some cases, slurry water is evaporated 

to stabilize the deposits before they are recovered in 

surface reclamation; in other cases, the waste coal is left 

unrecovered for technological, operational, market, and 

other reasons.

A new technology could turn this waste coal into a 

viable energy resource. The hyperbaric centrifuge 

technology, developed by Dr. Roe-Hoan Yoon of Virginia 

Tech with support from NETL, was demonstrated as part 

of NETL’s Hydrogen and Fuels program. The technology 

is aimed at separating the fine coal particles from water, 

allowing their recovery for energy while simultaneously 

cleaning up the environment and providing jobs in the 

coal-cleaning industry. The technology represents a 

major step forward in clean coal separation. Presently, 

coal fines must be discarded by even the most 

advanced coal cleaning plants because the leftover 

moisture content in conventional dewatering systems 

leaves it unmarketable. Improvements realized under 

the hyperbaric centrifuge have the potential to enable 

the reuse of billions of tons of waste, including 

70 million to 90 million tons of fine coal refuse currently 

added to slurry impoundments each year. 

Gas Hydrates

In January of 2010, the National Research Council 

congratulated NETL for its “consistent and effective” 

leadership in research efforts associated with methane 

hydrate. The report, titled “Assessment of the Department 

of Energy’s Methane Hydrate Research and Development 

Program” compliments NETL’s gas hydrate program on 

the “overall high caliber of the research, the breadth of 

investigations undertaken, the training of new, highly 

qualified personnel under the program’s auspices, and 

the successful collaboration between federal agencies 

conducting research on methane hydrate . . .”

Methane hydrate is a naturally occurring, solid combination 

of methane and water found in Arctic permafrost areas 

and under the sea along most of the world’s continental 

margins. It holds enormous volumes of pure methane, the 

primary component of natural gas. Realizing the science 

and technology needed to locate and produce gas from 

hydrate would boost U.S. and international economies 

and energy security by providing new supply options to 

address post-2030 gas demand. In addition, understanding 

potential methane hydrate destabilization is significant to 

addressing ongoing climate change issues. 

Image courtesy of Decanter Machine, Inc.
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

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Outreach/Education

Collaborating with the JASON 

Project 

Operation: Infinite Potential, 

the JASON Project’s 

multimedia energy 

curriculum unit developed 

with NETL assistance, 

won three coveted CODiE 

Awards from the Software 

& Information Industry 

Association (SIIA). The SIIA pool of educators and 

technology experts recognized “Operation: Infinite 

Potential” as the Nation’s “Best K-12 Instructional 

Solution,” “Best Online Instructional Solution,” and “Best 

Education Game or Simulation” for 2010. 

Founded by the National Geographic Society, the 

JASON Project puts students in contact with practicing 

explorers and researchers. Resulting curricula become 

available through print, video, games, and free online 

resources to tens of thousands of teachers and millions 

of students in the United States and worldwide. 

Students load polyethylene beads into a cold flow simulator.
14 Our Vision for the Future

NETL’s past successes have contributed to our nation’s 

energy safety and security. We have now entered our next 

century of innovation and the grand challenge it presents: 

America’s transition to an energy portfolio that is 

environmentally acceptable, sustainable, and capable of 

tapping the full potential of our nation’s energy resources. 

The technical advancements required to meet this 

challenge are underway at NETL. We are taking the path to 

achieving scalable renewable energy by looking to coal, 

natural gas, and oil as transition fuels. This means 

integrating fossil-energy platforms with renewable energy 

resources, realizing ever-greater efficiency in our power 

production and use, and developing an integrated grid 

structure to transmit electrical power more efficiently and 

reliably. 

NETL’s research program is organized around core 

elements that recognize the systems-design and 

integration issues posed by a global transition of energy 

technologies. 

• Carbon capture and storage—NETL is a leader in 

technology development aimed at safely, economically, 

and permanently storing CO2 from fossil-based energy 

systems. We target the 2020 timeframe for moving 

needed technologies to market.

• Advanced fossil-fuel power systems—Tomorrow’s 

affordable, ultra-clean, ultra-efficient power systems are 

under development today. The Office of Fossil Energy’s 

research and development program, implemented by 

NETL, targets 90 percent carbon capture and storage at 

electricity costs that approach today’s supercritical 

pulverized coal plant costs without carbon capture.

• Existing coal plants—Applying carbon capture to 

existing coal-fueled power plants through retrofitted 

technologies imposes an enormous economic penalty. 

NETL aims to reduce today’s incremental capital and 

operating costs by approximately 50 percent, averaged 

across the existing fleet, through advanced 

postcombustion capture and compression.

• Methane hydrates and gas shale—These technically 

and economically challenging resources are under 

intense investigation at NETL. Our researchers also 

continue to advance the cost-effective, 

environmentally sound exploration of domestic oil and 

natural gas.

• The Smart Grid—Through 2009, NETL’s Modern Grid 

Strategy team led development of a national vision to 

upgrade our electricity distribution system to a 

21st-century Smart Grid. NETL is now accelerating 

America’s transition to the grid through 

implementation-strategy development, key analyses, 

and technology innovation. NETL also participates 

actively in ongoing stakeholder communities 

consisting of federal government, academic, and 

industry organizations. 

• Energy efficiency—Energy efficiency in both supply 

and demand is critical to America’s future. NETL works 

on both sides of the equation by increasing power-
2010 NETL Accomplishments in Brief

15

production efficiencies and making strides in demandside efficiencies. NETL works closely with state energy 

programs and weatherization projects. Our partners 

develop, evaluate, and deploy high-efficiency building, 

vehicle, industrial, and appliance technologies—all of 

which are key to slashing energy consumption and 

consumer costs. 

NETL also manages $15.5 billion in American Reinvestment 

and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding for the Office of Fossil 

Energy, the Office of Energy Reliability and Renewable 

Energy, and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 

Reliability. NETL’s ARRA activities give independent 

organizations the opportunity to make significant strides in 

energy research while they create more than 160,000 job 

years by the program’s 2015 expiration date.

The successes our project partners realize will jumpstart new industries for clean transportation, building 

technologies, industrial efficiencies, and renewable 

energy. They will translate into achievements for the 

Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships and Smart 

Grid program, and they will augment intergovernmental 

programs at the state level. 

In addition to conducting sponsored research programs, 

NETL is committed to acting as a catalyst for regional 

development. The primary vehicle for this work is our 

newly formed Regional University Alliance for Energy 

Technology Innovation, or NETL-RUA. This program 

combines NETL’s fossil energy expertise with the broad 

capabilities of five regional institutions: Carnegie Mellon 

University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of 

Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University.

NETL-RUA will help our nation develop a workforce highly 

skilled in the energy field, providing stimulus for high-tech 

job creation and economic development. Deployment 

of new technologies stemming from this Alliance will be 

aided by key partnerships with the region’s commercial 

energy sector and serve as the basis for regional economic 

development and nationwide job creation. 

Rebuilding our nation’s energy infrastructure based 

on resources with ultralow environmental impact 

will require decades of technology development and 

commercialization. NETL is working to help America 

achieve this complex energy transition. With our scientific, 

engineering, and administrative talent, we continue to 

implement the partnerships and manage the programs 

that can accomplish the mission of providing affordable, 

reliable, and environmentally safe energy for the 21st 

century. 
National Energy Technology Laboratory

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