The mission of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) is to minimize the environmental impacts of fossil fuels while working towards net-zero emissions. FECM’s programs use research, development, demonstration, and deployment approaches to advance technologies to reduce carbon emissions and other environmental impacts of fossil fuel production and use, particularly the hardest-to-decarbonize applications in the electricity and industrial sectors. Priority areas of technology work include point-source carbon capture, hydrogen with carbon management, methane emissions reduction, critical mineral production, and carbon dioxide removal to address the accumulated CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. FECM recognizes that global decarbonization through carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is essential to meeting climate goals and works to engage with international colleagues to leverage expertise in these areas. FECM is also committed to improving the conditions of communities impacted by the legacy of fossil fuel use and to supporting a healthy economic transition that accelerates the growth of good-paying jobs.

DOE will not accept questions at this time regarding issuance of the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Details on how to submit questions and comments will be provided in the FOA, if issued.

Technical Overview and Objectives

Program Area 1: Carbon Management Technologies

The U.S. energy portfolio and U.S. economy depend heavily on fossil fuels and other sources of GHG emissions today, spanning sectors like power generation, industry, heat and transportation fuels. Advancing clean energy, carbon capture with durable storage in both the power and industrial sectors and CDR are imperative for achieving net-zero GHG goals. FECM envisions enabling the demonstration and ultimately deployment of technologies for carbon management and mitigating challenges of fossil fuel use in a just and sustainable way, with the goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by mid-century.

One of the key missions of the Office of Fossil Energy is to minimize the environmental impacts of fossil fuels while working towards net-zero emissions. To accomplish this mission, it is imperative that FECM provide outreach and education to many stakeholders, including the general public in order to allow them to make educated choices about energy. Towards this end, FECM seeks to partner with organizations with similar goals to help improve understanding and develop cooperative action on CDRs by reaching out to additional international and national organizations to conduct a series of co-related tasks that mutually serve the mission of the public as well as FECM. These “Areas of Interest” include:

• Area 1: Carbon Management Technology Consultation, Analysis and Cooperation,
• Area 2: Carbon Management Technology Outreach, and
• Area 3: Carbon Management Technology Technical Conference and Workshop Support.

Program Area 2: Domestic and International Oil, Natural Gas, Methane Hydrates, Hydrogen, and Critical Minerals

The DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management’s Office of Resource Sustainability (ORS) administers the Department’s technological development and approaches for reducing the environmental impacts of our historical and continued use of fossil fuels. Reducing the environmental impacts of fossil fuel infrastructure and reducing emissions throughout the supply chain is critical to achieving net-zero emissions. ORS supports a just transition to clean energy while minimizing the environmental impacts in sectors where fossil fuels are difficult to avoid. These goals are accomplished through policy, research, innovation, outreach, and stewardship.

ORS advances technologies and solutions to reduce the environmental impacts and emissions associated with fossil energy development, use, transportation, and storage. This includes reducing emissions in the production, transportation, and storage of oil and natural gas; developing advanced remediation technologies for produced water, abandoned mines, abandoned wells, and the conversion of methane to useful products; and improving the economics and environmental performance of critical minerals extraction, processing, use, and disposal. ORS also regulates the import and export of natural gas, conducts analysis of fossil fuel and carbon markets, assesses policy and regulatory proposals, leads outreach for domestic and international engagements, and addresses environmental and energy justice impacts for communities most impacted by fossil fuel development and use.

ORS areas of interest include:

• Area 1: Oil, Natural Gas, Hydrogen, and Critical Minerals Consultation, Analysis, and Cooperation and
• Area 2: Oil, Natural Gas, Methane Hydrates, Hydrogen, and Critical Minerals Bilateral and Regional Initiatives and Activities.