The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) announced it will provide $2.2 in support of HBCUs and MSIs for environmental remediation and green energy research.
According to a DoE release, the money will be used for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) research to generate low-carbon power. The funding to HBCUs is part of two funding opportunities that total $6.1 million to the DoE’s University Coal Research program.
Combined, the funding opportunities will support up to 20 student engineers and scientists working between 2-3 years on research projects related to technologies critical to advancing and acting on President Joe Biden’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“Climate change is everyone’s problem, which is why climate solutions require viewpoints from a diverse and highly skilled workforce that will keep us competitive in a new net-zero economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
“The scientific brilliance cultivated at America’s higher education institutions, like HBCUs and other MSIs, is unrivaled. DOE is proud to support the next generation of innovators who will build upon and maximize the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic climate investments.”
The funding will help guide early-stage research and development
of new decarbonization approaches. One example of this is the utilization of algae to uptake carbon dioxide, which will then be converted into higher value products, including fuels, plastics, or fine chemicals. Additionally, the funding will provide HBCUs and MSIs with assessments of their resources to determine gaps for conducting early-stage research and development activities aligned with decarbonization goals and objectives.HBCU schools are also
involved in several other clean energy initiatives including the HBCU Community Development Action Coalition (CDAC) Clean Energy Initiative.The initiative has been implemented in Baltimore, Maryland with the help of Morgan State University, which installed solar panels on 33 homes owned by low-income families. Morgan State also connected community homeowners, business owners and campus leaders to promote the many benefits of using clean energy.