The US Department of Energy (DOE) has pledged up to $127.5m in federal funding for the development of carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture, removal, and conversion test centres. The aim of the test centres is to “cost-effectively research and evaluate carbon capture, removal, and conversion technologies in industrial/utility environments.”

Announcing the funding in a press release published on 19 August 2024 by the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), DOE outlined the specific areas of focus as follows:

1. A carbon capture, removal, and conversion test centre at an electric generating unit: providing post-combustion flue gas testing capabilities representative of domestic coal and/or natural gas-based power systems.
2. Enabling capital improvements at existing carbon capture test facilities: providing enhanced capabilities and infrastructure improvements in domestic fossil-based power systems.
3. A carbon capture, removal, and conversion test centre at a cement manufacturing facility: providing flue gas testing representative of domestic cement manufacturing facilities.

If the US is to meet the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, developing technology to capture CO₂ emissions from industrial and power generation operations and remove CO₂ directly from the atmosphere will be crucial. However, the associated capital cost is a significant barrier to wide deployment.

FECM Assistant Secretary Brad Crabtree says the test centre investments will “help reduce costs, minimise environmental risks, and scale up carbon capture, removal, and conversion processes to commercial levels.”