The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative is looking to fund another 20 new projects across the country.
Since its launch in 2016, the CarbonSAFE Initiative, which is led by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has funded 24 projects that aim to address existing roadblocks to the large-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions.
Specifically, many of the projects are geared towards solving geologic storage infrastructure issues and clearing the path towards commercialization of CCS.
With the help of this and similar initiatives, the US government hopes to address the climate crisis, while also creating numerous new job opportunities and supporting the establishment of a circular economy.
The CarbonSAFE Initiative is currently pursuing projects that will enable the safe and permanent storage of hundreds of millions of tons of captured carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Relevant: NETL Launches CO2-Locate Database To Support Carbon Capture Projects
NETL’s acting director Sean Plasynski underlined the importance and urgency of efforts like the CarbonSAFE Initiative in the light of increasingly destructive natural disasters.
“With some of the most talented scientists and engineers in the world, NETL and DOE’s other national labs are committed to realizing the administration’s goals of a decarbonized energy sector and economy,” Plasynski added.
CarbonSAFE is now looking to support another 20 projects with the $2.25 billion funding announced by DOE.
To be eligible for the program, projects must be capable of carefully addressing the societal and environmental effects of their proposed carbon storage projects and must have a particular emphasis on engagement with communities.
Read more: New Report Finds Carbon Capture And Storage Far Too Expensive
