UK Named Founding Member of University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2016) — The University of Kentucky is one of nine founding members of a six-year, $20 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded project that is seeking to advance fossil fuel technology.

Called the University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research (UCFER), the project will identify, select, execute, review and disseminate knowledge from research that will improve the efficiency of production and use of fossil energy resources while minimizing the environmental impacts and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Penn State University will lead the coalition, which is funded by DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). In addition to Penn State and UK, other university partners include: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, University of Southern California, University of Tulsa, University of Wyoming and Virginia Tech. 

"We are excited to serve as a founding member of UCFER," said Rodney Andrews, director of the UK Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and UK's lead investigator on the project. "These dollars represent a significant investment in UK's fossil fuel research programs. It will help our investigators improve the efficiency and reliability of Kentucky energy and develop new uses for fossil fuels."

Chunshan Song, director of Penn State's Energy Institute in the College of Earth and Mineral Science and distinguished professor of fuel science and chemical engineering is the principal investigator and will be director of UCFER.

UCFER will engage in both fundamental and applied research for clean and low-carbon energy based on fossil resources. Outreach and technology transfer to industry will be important components of the coalition.  With the aim of reducing environmental impacts and minimizing carbon dioxide emission, the coalition will explore both research in coal and in natural gas and oil.

The project will support the mission of the DOE program including areas in its Strategic Center for Coal and Strategic Center for Natural Gas and Oil. Research in coal will include clean, efficient and low-carbon energy through advanced energy systems – gas turbines, gasification systems, advanced combustion and solid oxide fuel cells, carbon dioxide capture, carbon dioxide storage and also involve areas that crosscut technology such as sensors and controls, water management, simulations and environmental controls.

Research in gas and oil will include natural gas resources including shale gas and environmental impacts, natural gas infrastructure – leak detection and smart sensors, deep water technology, methane hydrates and enhanced recovery.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, 859-257-5343; jenny.wells@uky.edu