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DOE OSTI2024

Highly silanized cellulose biocomposites for sustainable insulation materials

Microfibrillated lignocellulose networks, derived from agricultural byproducts, represent an environmentally friendly biogenic material production due to their abundant availability to circular bioeconomy and inherent carbon sink in life cycle analysis. Yet, its vulnerability to moisture and flammability, coupled with challenges in creating highly reinforced insulation materials, poses challenges for the carbon-zero green building sector. Here we address these challenges with a new concept of in-situ grafting polymerization of nanoporous silica in pre-formed lignocellulosic fiber networks. The seamlessly integrating nanoporous silica with cellulose through hydrogen bonding networks enabled us to prepare highly reinforced biogenic composites for green building insulations. A high reinforcement biocomposite with hierarchal arrangements of nanoporous silica within the cellulose network exhibits remarkable attributes. It boasts a thermal conductivity of 24.2 mW·m –1 ·K –1 , a flexural modulus of 942 MPa, and soundproofing with a 20.8 % noise reduction, as well as the fire resistance characterized by an extended time to ignition and a reduced peak heat release rate of 144 kW·m –2 at 35 kW·m –2 of incident radiant heat flux. Furthermore, it demonstrates a reduced water absorption capacity, dropping from 5.12 g·g –1 to 0.75 g·g –1 . Altogether, this study opens the new pathways towards sustainable carbon-zero building materials in the context of circular bioeconomy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Nondestructive flash cathode recycling

Effective recycling of end-of-life Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential due to continuous accumulation of battery waste and gradual depletion of battery metal resources. The present closed-loop solutions include destructive conversion to metal compounds, by destroying the entire three-dimensional morphology of the cathode through continuous thermal treatment or harsh wet extraction methods, and direct regeneration by lithium replenishment. Here, we report a solvent- and water-free flash Joule heating (FJH) method combined with magnetic separation to restore fresh cathodes from waste cathodes, followed by solid-state relithiation. The entire process is called flash recycling. This FJH method exhibits the merits of milliseconds of duration and high battery metal recovery yields of ~98%. After FJH, the cathodes reveal intact core structures with hierarchical features, implying the feasibility of their reconstituting into new cathodes. Relithiated cathodes are further used in LIBs, and show good electrochemical performance, comparable to new commercial counterparts. Life-cycle-analysis highlights that flash recycling has higher environmental and economic benefits over traditional destructive recycling processes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Large CO 2 removal potential of woody debris preservation in managed forests

Limiting climate warming to 1.5 °C requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and CO 2 removal. While various CO 2 removal strategies have been explored to achieve global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and account for legacy emissions, additional exploration is warranted to examine more durable, scalable and sustainable approaches to achieve climate targets. Here, in this study, we show that preserving woody debris in managed forests can remove gigatonnes of CO 2 from the atmosphere sustainably based on a carbon cycle analysis using three Earth system models. Woody debris is produced from logging, sawmill wastes and abandoned woody products, and can be preserved in deep soil to lengthen its residence time (a measure of durability) by thousands of years. Preserving annual woody debris production in managed forests has the capacity to remove 769–937 GtCO 2 from the atmosphere cumulatively (10.1–12.4 GtCO 2 yr −1 on average) from 2025 to 2100, if its residence time is lengthened for 100–2,000 years and after 5% CO 2 removal is discounted to account for CO 2 emission due to machine operation for wood debris preservation. This translates to a reduction in global temperatures of 0.35–0.42 °C. Given the large potential, relatively low cost and long durability, future efforts should be focused on establishing large-scale demonstration projects for this technology in a variety of contexts, with rigorous monitoring of CO 2 removal, its co-benefits and side-effects.

Luo, Yiqi [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United State↗

DOE OSTI2025

Transforming US agriculture for carbon removal with enhanced weathering

Abstract Enhanced weathering (EW) with agriculture uses crushed silicate rocks to drive carbon dioxide removal (CDR) 1,2 . If widely adopted on farmlands, it could help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 2–4 . Here we show, with a detailed US state-specific carbon cycle analysis constrained by resource provision, that EW deployed on agricultural land could sequester 0.16–0.30 GtCO 2 yr −1 by 2050, rising to 0.25–0.49 GtCO 2 yr −1 by 2070. Geochemical assessment of rivers and oceans suggests effective transport of dissolved products from EW from soils, offering CDR on intergenerational timescales. Our analysis further indicates that EW may temporarily help lower ground-level ozone and concentrations of secondary aerosols in agricultural regions. Geospatially mapped CDR costs show heterogeneity across the USA, reflecting a combination of cropland distance from basalt source regions, timing of EW deployment and evolving CDR rates. CDR costs are highest in the first two decades before declining to about US$100–150 tCO 2 −1 by 2050, including for states that contribute most to total national CDR. Although EW cannot be a substitute for emission reductions, our assessment strengthens the case for EW as an overlooked practical innovation for helping the USA meet net-zero 2050 goals 5,6 . Public awareness of EW and equity impacts of EW deployment across the USA require further exploration 7,8 and we note that mobilizing an EW industry at the necessary scale could take decades.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

DOE OSTI2025

Addendum: Carbon-negative production of acetone and isopropanol by gas fermentation at industrial pilot scale

In response to a reader’s questions, here we provide additional information about the life cycle analysis (LCA) performed in this paper. The goal of the LCA was to understand the potential environmental benefits of our reported synthetic biology pathways for producing acetone and isopropanol by comparing greenhouse gas emissions to those from conventional, virgin fossil production routes. Below we expand on the rationale and sources underlying the methodological choices we made in the LCA, including our use of a cradle-to-gate system boundary, an avoided emissions credit and the descriptor “carbon-negative.” Finally, we also discuss differences in carbon accounting between an LCA framework and a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) framework.

metabolic engineering↗

DOE OSTI2024

Carbon-negative hydrogen: aqueous phase reforming (APR) of glycerol over NiPt bimetallic catalyst coupled with CO 2 sequestration

Herein we report the production of high-pressure (19.3 bar), carbon-negative hydrogen (H 2 ) from glycerol with a purity of 98.2 mol% H 2 , 1.8 mol% light hydrocarbons (mainly methane), and 400 ppm of CO. Aqueous phase reforming (APR) of 10 wt% glycerol solution was studied with a series of NiPt alumina bimetallic catalysts supported on alumina. The Ni 8 Pt 1 -450 catalyst had the highest hydrogen selectivity (95.6%) and the lowest alkanes selectivity (3.7%) of the tested catalysts. The hydrogen selectivity decreased in the order of Ni 8 Pt 1 -450 > Ni 8 Pt 1 -260 > Ni 1 Pt 1 -260 > Pt-260. The CO 2 was sequestered with CaO adsorbent which formed CaCO 3 . We measured the adsorption capacity of the CaO adsorbent at different temperatures. Life cycle analysis showed that the APR of glycerol coupled with CO 2 capture has net negative CO 2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. The CO 2 emissions are –9.9 kg CO 2 eq./kg H 2 and –50.1 kg CO 2 eq./kg H 2 when grid electricity and renewable electricity are used, respectively, and the CO 2 is allocated respectively to the mass of products produced. The cost of this H 2 (denoted as “green-emerald”) was estimated to be 2.4 USD per kg H 2 when grid electricity is used and 2.7 USD per kg H 2 when using renewable electricity. The cost of glycerol has the highest contribution of 1.71 USD per kg H 2 . As a result, participation in the carbon credit markets can further decrease the price of the produced H 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Protoplast fusion as a strategy to increase ploidy in Rhodotorula toruloides for strain development

Rhodotorula toruloides is a red oleaginous yeast with growing commercial interest because of its hardiness and exceptional lipid production capacity. Because it is a basidiomycete yeast with a complex life cycle, many of the classical breeding methods used with ascomycetes are unavailable for strain improvement. However, we have been able to construct polyploid yeast by fusing protoplasts of parents with the same mating type. Fusing of Y-6985 (A2) and Y-48190 (A2), which had been transformed with complementary antibiotic markers, led to the recovery of two diploids and one triploid. The stability of the fusion yeasts was tested by plating them on non-selective medium after several growth cycles under antibiotics and then testing five colonies per strain for nuclear DNA contents using flow cytometry and standard cell cycle analysis: the triploid and one diploid were stable. Fusants inherited their mitochondria from a single parent, which was demonstrated using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of mitochondrial DNA. The phenotypic properties of the parents and fusants were compared in glucose fed-batch bioreactor studies and cellulosic sugar batch cultures. The final lipid titers for the fed-batch cultures were 24.9–39.7 g/L with Y-6985 and the diploid and triploid performing the best and worst, respectively. The fusants demonstrated intermediate hardiness for growth on hydrolysate prepared with dilute-acid pretreated switchgrass and were outperformed by Y-48190. Unlike one of the haploid parents, the fusants grew in 70% v/v concentrated hydrolysate. Furthermore, they did not grow as fast as the other haploid. In this study, a modernized protoplast fusion method is resurrected a useful tool for strain development in this yeast, which is complementary with other available methods.

Lignocellulose↗

DOE OSTI2026

Binder-Stabilized Carbon Fiber Hosts for High-Utilization Sodium–Polysulfide Flow Catholytes

Sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries hold promise as high-energy-density batteries for long-duration energy storage due to their high open circuit voltage and Earth-abundant active materials. However, low utilization of the sulfur active material limits the achievable specific capacity, especially when a liquid polysulfide catholyte is utilized. High-surface-area carbon materials demonstrate promise to increase sulfur utilization in a Na-S battery. To make the carbon host material applicable for a flow battery application, a binder is required to bind the carbon materials together and to a porous substrate. Here, we utilize a composite carbon paper electrode coated by polymer,carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon black (CB). By varying the mass ratios of CNF to CB, we found that a 70/20/10 mass ratio of CNF/CB/binder provided the highest capacity (260 mAh g −1 compared to the baseline of 156 mAh g −1 ) and stable battery performance over 100 cycles. Analysis of the composite electrode and full cells reveals that the amount of CB in the composite electrode influences binder distribution, cell resistance, and full cell performance.

Lehmann, Michelle L. [Oak Ridge National Laborator↗

DOE OSTI2025

BiCRS LCA Tool [SWR-26-005]

This is a biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS) life cycle analysis (LCA) tool. This version can be used to estimate the impacts of biochar burial BiCRS pathways.

Ware, Anne "Liz" [National Renewable Energy Labora↗

DOE OSTI2024

Data for Carbon-negative Hydrogen: Aqueous Phase Reforming (APR) of Glycerol over NiPt Bimetallic Catalyst Coupled with CO2 Sequestration

Herein we report the production of high-pressure (19.3 bar), carbon-negative hydrogen (H2) from glycerol with a purity of 98.2 mol% H2, 1.8 mol% light hydrocarbons (mainly methane), and 400 ppm of CO. Aqueous phase reforming (APR) of 10 wt% glycerol solution was studied with a series of NiPt alumina bimetallic catalysts supported on alumina. The Ni8Pt1-450 catalyst had the highest hydrogen selectivity (95.6%) and the lowest alkanes selectivity (3.7%) of the tested catalysts. The hydrogen selectivity decreased in the order of Ni8Pt1-450 > Ni8Pt1-260 > Ni1Pt1-260 > Pt-260. The CO2 was sequestered with CaO adsorbent which formed CaCO3. We measured the adsorption capacity of the CaO adsorbent at different temperatures. Life cycle analysis showed that the APR of glycerol coupled with CO2 capture has net negative CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. The CO2 emissions are −9.9 kg CO2 eq./kg H2 and −50.1 kg CO2 eq./kg H2 when grid electricity and renewable electricity are used, respectively, and the CO2 is allocated respectively to the mass of products produced. The cost of this H2 (denoted as “green-emerald”) was estimated to be 2.4 USD per kg H2 when grid electricity is used and 2.7 USD per kg H2 when using renewable electricity. The cost of glycerol has the highest contribution of 1.71 USD per kg H2. Participation in the carbon credit markets can further decrease the price of the produced H2.

Catalysis↗

DOE OSTI2024

2020 natural gas LCA data appendices

Appendices↗

DOE OSTI2025

2020 natural gas LCA appendices Rev1

This collection is the data-centric appendices for the report Life Cycle Analysis of Natural Gas Extraction and Power Generation: U.S. 2020 Emissions Profile. It consists of Appendix A: Additional Modeling Parameters [spreadsheet]; Appendix B: Water Burdens [spreadsheet]; Appendix D: Simulation of Liquids Unloading [python script and spreadsheet]; Appendix E: Detailed GHG Results for All Scenarios [spreadsheet]; Appendix F: Full Inventory Results [spreadsheet]; and Appendix I: Stage-Level Natural Gas Loss and Consumption Rates [spreadsheet]. These results have been updated from the previous version (https://edx.netl.doe.gov/dataset/2020-natural-gas-lca-data-appendices) to correct a modeling error where the same post-processing natural gas composition was used instead of the intended regional compositions.

Appendices↗

DOE OSTI2024

Improving Efficiency of Off-Road Vehicles by Novel Integration of Electric Machines and Advanced Combustion Engines

Modern off-road equipment will increasingly rely on electrified implements that will deliver precision control with a smaller footprint than hydraulics. The primary energy converter, however, will be an onboard reciprocating internal combustion engine because of the power density of hydrocarbon fuels in comparison to electrical energy storage and the remote locations where much of this equipment is deployed. Adding energy storage and electric machines creates opportunities to improve efficiency while reducing emissions. This program investigated approaches to take advantage of the extra flexibility that an enhanced electrical system to enable high-efficiency, low-emissions combustion technologies. The current program evaluated hybridization of both the torque application and air-handling systems to maximize efficiency while minimizing cost. This program designed, analyzed and tested a hybrid off-road vehicle consisting of a series electric powertrain with energy storage, an electrified air system, and a 33% downsized diesel engine. Detailed comparisons were made between the base powertrain and the developed powertrain using powertrain simulations, engine testing, and vehicle testing. The key results of the study are: • The resulting vehicle reduces fuel consumption by 5% to 15% at equal productivity. The primary improvements were due to recovery of regenerative braking losses for cycles where large transients are encountered. • The electrified air system was an enabler to allow engine downsizing. This was most important for duty-cycles where the engine primarily operated at moderate loads and had few low speed high torque conditions. • Engine level improvements showed re-optimization of the powertrain is possible when electrified air handing is available. Increased exhaust gas recirculation and advanced injection timing allowed up to a 15% reduction in brake specific fuel consumption at equal NOx and transient response. Compared to the larger engine, the downsized engine achieves up to an 18% reduction in brake specific fuel consumption over the non-road transient cycle. • The life cycle analysis and total cost of ownership study showed that the hybrid powertrain has the potential to reduce 5-year CO2 and total cost of ownership by ~6% over the baseline vehicle. The results also indicated that a pure battery electric vehicle is not feasible in this application and is likely to increase the CO2 emissions due to the CO2 from battery production. A hybrid powertrain with low carbon fuels shows the potential to substantially reduce CO2 and total cost of ownership.

02 PETROLEUM↗

DOE OSTI2024

NETL LCA Update US DOE Special Session, ACLCA 2024

This work was presented at the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment 2024 Conference in Snowbird, UT on September 24, 2024. The evaluation of the environmental advantages and disadvantages of energy technology and policy options requires the comparison of those options on a common basis, and as such, it needs to include not only obvious impacts like converting fuel to useful energy via combustion, but of infrastructure construction, extraction, processing and transportation of fuels, and transport of the final energy product to an end user. Further, it requires comparison across multiple categories of impacts, as single metric perspectives can miss important cross-media tradeoffs. At the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, life cycle analysis is used as a tool and framework for undertaking a broad range of these types of evaluations. This overview will describe the NETL LCA work over the past year.

Jamieson, Matthew↗

DOE OSTI2024

Cool GTL for the Conversion of Biogas to Jet Fuel

Cool GTL is a new process under development for conversion of biogas from digestors or CO2 +H2 to high quality drop in jet fuel. Cool GTL is designed to be a streamlined simplified low cost process which can be cost effective for small scale biogas applications. Cool GTL has the advantage that it uses a high activity bi-reforming catalyst, in a streamlined electric reformer design, to make the synthesis gas for a high conversion slurry fischer Tropsch process followed by a trailing wax cracking reactor. In this way high quality jet fuel can be directly produced. Recent experimental test data will be presented showing product quality. The life cycle analysis LCA will also be presented as well.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Life Cycle Assessment of Formic Acid as a Liquid Hydrogen Carrier

This work presents a life cycle analysis of the transport and processing for formic acid into hydrogen. The system boundary begins at the formic acid plant gate and ends with hydrogen end use. The functional unit is 1 kg of hydrogen delivered to end use, 1 kWh for electricity generation, and 1 vehicle mile traveled (VMT). Renewable electricity reduced GWP by 80-90% relative to U.S. average grid.

Shen, Xinyao [NETL Site Support Contractor, Nation↗

DOE OSTI2025

Low Carbon Intensity Formic Acid Chemical Synthesis from Direct Air Captured CO 2 Utilizing Chemical Plant Waste Heat - Final Technical Report

The primary objective of Low Carbon Intensity Formic Acid Chemical Synthesis from Direct Air Captured CO 2 Utilizing Chemical Plant Waste Heat (ChemFADAC) is to execute and complete a FEED study for an integrated direct air capture (DAC) and carbon conversion system (together, the DACUS system) co-located at a Nutrien nitric acid production facility in Kennewick, WA capable of capturing and converting a minimum of 5,000 MT/year net atmospheric CO 2 to low carbon intensity formic acid (FA) using industrial waste heat and renewable electricity. The goal will be achieved through the completion of four objectives using a collaborative approach with community stakeholders. Objective 1. Conduct a FEED study and Class 3 project cost estimate for the proposed DACUS system that maximizes use of thermal energy from the Nutrien KFO host site to produce low carbon intensity FA from atmospheric CO 2 . Objective 2. Perform a cradle-to-gate life-cycle analysis of the DACUS system to determine the environmental sustainability and carbon intensity (CI) of the proposed project and product from the results of the FEED study. Objective 3. Perform a business case analysis from results of the LCA, FEED study and cost estimate to justify investment to build the DACUS project at the Nutrien KFO site. Objective 4. Quantify how deployment of the proposed technology will promote and prepare a ready workforce for clean energy and manufacturing jobs and coordinate with community stakeholders to perform an environmental justice and a preliminary economic revitalization and job creation outcomes analysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Summary of Expansions and Updates in R&D GREET ® 2024

The research and development (R&D) version of Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET ® ) model, or R&D GREET, is developed by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other federal agencies. R&D GREET is a life cycle analysis (LCA) model, structured to systematically examine the energy and environmental effects of a wide variety of transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in major transportation sectors (i.e., road, air, marine, and rail) and other end-use sectors, and energy technology systems. Argonne has expanded and updated the model in various areas in R&D GREET 2024.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗