The US Department of Energy‘s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management has selected five projects that will receive a total of $101 million in federal funding for advancing CO2 capture, removal, and conversion technologies. The selected projects will target industrial facilities, including cement plants, and power generation operations. The initiative aligns with efforts to lower CO₂ emissions, create new jobs, and enhance US energy security.

Advancing Carbon Management Technologies

Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, said, “Carbon management technologies such as carbon capture can significantly reduce emissions from fossil energy use and key industrial processes, like cement production.”

He added, “By investing in test centers, we are helping reduce barriers to commercial scale deployment of carbon capture, conversion, and removal technologies that will ultimately help reduce pollution and create jobs.”

The projects establish test centers meant to evaluate how effective and economical the technologies aimed at capturing, removal, and CO2 conversion happen to be. The facilities intended to test as well as to scale carbon management using various feedstocks and real operational conditions. They are designed to test and scale carbon management technologies using diverse feedstocks and real-world operating conditions.

Selected Projects

The DOE funding will support five key initiatives aimed at advancing carbon management technologies. The University of Illinois will design a test center focused on carbon capture, removal, and conversion in the cement industry.

Holcim US plans to establish a Cement Carbon Management Innovation Center at its Hagerstown facility in Maryland, exploring feasibility and partnerships. Southern Company Services will continue operating the National Carbon Capture Center, testing CO₂ technologies under real-world power plant conditions.

The University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center will improve its test center to cost-efficiently evaluate carbon management technologies. The University of Wyoming will expand its test center to explore a broader range of carbon management technologies. This will include emissions from natural gas and industrial sources.

Also read: DOE Grants $1.67B Loan to Montana Renewables for SAF Production Expansion

Supporting Sustainable Energy Goals

These test centers are pivotal in advancing carbon management solutions, supporting a sustainable transition to cleaner energy. The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will oversee the projects, which are contingent on budget appropriations.

PTT Global Chemical announced that it has begun manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Thailand for the first time. Plus, the business stated that during the initial manufacturing phase, it intends to generate six million liters of SAF yearly. The business intends to increase output in the future. It has plans to produce nearly 24 million liters annually. The growth will aid Thailand’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Thailand’s SAF and Green Aviation Plans

Toasaporn Boonyapipat, President of PTTGC, highlighted that the commercial production of SAF will help meet the growing demand for renewable energy in the country’s aviation sector.

Thailand’s Energy Ministry is actively seeking methods to integrate SAF into the aviation industry. This will help align the aviation industry with the country’s green aviation goals. The government is to start with a 1% SAF blend from 2026 and increase the blend percentage over subsequent years. The policy represents a country that wants to reduce carbon emissions in aviation and, in this way, spur more sustainable energy solutions.

Also read: DOE Grants $1.67B Loan to Montana Renewables for SAF Production Expansion

SAF Trends in Southeast Asia

Thailand’s move to produce SAF coincides with initiatives of other nations in Southeast Asia that are adopting SAF related agendas. Singapore recently announced its plans to mandate that flights leaving the country must use SAF by 2026. The city-state aims for a 1% SAF blend by that year, with plans to increase it to 3-5% by 2030. Malaysia, too, has outlined plans to produce SAF by 2027.

As more countries in the region embrace SAF, aviation seems to have a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. PTTGC’s entry into the production of SAF propels Thailand as a potential leader in the production of SAF in Southeast Asia. Thailand is making great progress in lowering its carbon footprint and fostering the expansion of its aviation sector by investing in renewable fuel sources like SAF.