This funding opportunity for University Coal Research (UCR) Program, sponsored by the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) Crosscutting Research University Training and Research (UTR) Program and administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), has the following primary mission objectives: 1) educate and train the next generation of engineers and scientists to help develop and contribute to a highly-skilled, inclusive, and competitive U.S. workforce and economy; 2) support novel, early-stage research at U.S. colleges and universities that advances the FECM mission of delivering integrated solutions related to fossil energy and carbon management and enable transformation to a sustainable, net zero greenhouse gas future; and, 3) ensure that students are being equipped with cutting-edge, translatable skillsets that will allow them to contribute to the U.S.
workforce and greater economy over the course of a longstanding and enduring career.

The UCR Program is aligned with Administration goals to successfully achieve net zero or net-negative GHG emissions by focusing on the following research and development efforts: 1) technology development to mitigate and/or remediate legacy environmental impacts of coal-based generation systems; 2) assessments of environmental benefits and impacts of utilizing legacy mining materials such as waste coal for the cultivation of other low-carbon products (e.g. biomass, etc.); 3) ensuring the safety and environmental integrity of systems that provide benefit for coal and power plant communities.