Grant Round 99
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
FY22-99-244: Project Tundra “CREST” Study
- Sponsor: Minnkota Power Cooperative
- Objective: To produce construction ready engineering, scheduling, and pricing terms (CREST) for a commercial carbon capture system retrofitted to a power plant fueled by North Dakota Lignite. The ongoing work in Project Tundra is to complete a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a commercial carbon capture system retrofitted onto a power plant fueled by North Dakota lignite.
- Funded Amount: $5,415,000
- Total Project Cost: $10,830,000
- Final Report
Grant Round 98
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Advanced Processing of Coal and Coal Waste to Produce Graphite for Fast-Charging Lithium Ion Battery Anode
FY22-98-243: Advanced Processing of Coal and Coal Waste to Produce Graphite for Fast-Charging Lithium Ion Battery Anode
- Sponsor: University of ND (UND)/Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: Targeting high-grade graphite from North Dakota Lignite materials for application as battery anodes. The target market is fast charging electric vehicle applications and other rapidly growing lithium-ion battery applications, with other graphite markets as additional considerations. In addition to the material development and evaluation, the overall effort includes a techno-economic evaluation to gauge the commercial potential for the technology.
- Funded Amount: $500,000
- Total Project Cost: $1,545,000
- Final Report
Grant Round 97
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Production of Germanium and Gallium Concentrates for Industrial Processes
ND Lignite Coal-Based Pitch for Production of High Value Carbon Products via AmeriCarbon Liquid Carbon Pitch (LCP) Process
Development of Novel Sintered Coal Building Materials
FY22-97-240: Production of Germanium and Gallium Concentrates for Industrial Processes
- Sponsor: Microbeam Technologies, Inc.
- Objective: To develop a conceptual design of a process to extract, separate, recover, and purify germanium and gallium from lignite coal-derived rare earth element concentrates.
- Funded Amount: $20,000
- Total Project Cost: $189,943
- Final Report
- Sponsor: AmeriCarbon Products, LLC
- Objective: Proposing to utilize its pilot-scale, patented/proprietary LCP (Liquid Carbon Pitch) process to demonstrate the successful and economically viable conversion of North Dakota lignite coal into a valuable pitch intermediate chemical used in carbon products manufacturing. A secondary objective will be to outline a development pathway based on performance and technoeconomic results for a next-stage commercial pitch plant based in North Dakota to enhance lignite coal production, high-wage jobs, and increased economic opportunities with pitch and downstream carbon manufacturing.
- Funded Amount: $550,000
- Total Project Cost: $1,209,794
- Final Report
FY22-97-242: Development of Novel Sintered Coal Building Materials
- Sponsor: Microbeam Technologies, Inc.
- Objective: To develop value-added products from lignite coal for use in the fabrication of a prototype carbon-based building. The team is developing a method for producing high-value carbon-based building materials by using a flexible manufacturing process that can be adapted into either a batch or continuous manufacturing process. The sintered coal building materials (SCBM) technology has been used to produce sintered lignite and additive composites (LIG2) at UND and MTI laboratories, and preliminary analysis shows great opportunity for the technology to be scaled up to the pilot scale and eventually the commercial level.
- Funded Amount: $62,500
- Total Project Cost: $649,407
- Final Report
Grant Round 96
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Williston Basin CORE-CM Initiative
Ammonia-Based Energy Storage Technology-NH3-BEST
Determining Optimum Coal Bottom Ash Content for Sustainable Concrete Infrastructure
Continued Funding for Regional Lignite Energy Public Affairs Program
LRC-96-D Application (Confidential)
FY21-96-236: Williston Basin CORE-CM Initiative
- Sponsor: University of ND (UND)/Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: To focuses of this project is to lay the foundation for new industry, as well as drive the expansion and transformation of the existing coal and coal-based resources industry in the Williston Basin to produce REEs, CMs, and CBPs.
- Funded Amount: $750,000
- Total Project Cost: $2,450,000
- Final Report
FY21-96-237: Ammonia-Based Energy Storage Technology (NH3-BEST)
- Sponsor: Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: To model, validate, and define a commercialization strategy for an ammonia-based energy storage technology (NH3-BEST) tailored for North Dakota lignite-fired power plants.
- Funded Amount: $101,390
- Total Project Cost: $426,390
- Final Report
FY21-96-238: Determining Optimum Coal Bottom Ash Content for Sustainable Concrete Infrastructure
- Sponsor: UND College Department of Civil Engineering
- Objective: The main objective of this project is to test the hypothesis that there is an optimum content of CBA as a fine aggregate and cement replacement.
- Funded Amount: $118,614
- Total Project Cost: $289,271
- Final Report
FY21-96-239: Continued Funding for Regional Lignite Energy Public Affairs Program (Confidential)
- Sponsor: Lignite Energy Council (LEC)
- Objective: Seeks to broaden the support of coal-based electricity in North Dakota and Minnesota. The strategies to be implemented for 2021 include promotion of electric vehicles with messaging to increase the power usage in ND generated by lignite-based power plants; increased engagement by employees of the Lignite Energy Council members; messaging to youth; providing studies that show the economic consequence of reduced electric generation from North Dakota lignite-based plants; and promotion of the benefits of affordable and reliable electricity.
- Funded Amount: $1,800,000
- Total Project Cost: $3,600,000
- Final Report
Grant Round 95
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
FY21-95-235: ND Rare Earth and Critical Element Resource Evaluation
- Sponsor: Microbeam Technologies, Inc.
- Objective: To focuses on the development of rare earth element and critical mineral (REE-CM) production from selected North Dakota coal seams and sediments.
- Funded Amount: $529,529
- Total Project Cost: $1,059,510
- Final Report
Grant Round 94
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
To Test, Confirm, and Initiate Commercial Design of a Post-Combustion 'Bolt-On' CO2 Capture System
Lignite-Derived Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
Annual Lignite Energy Council Education Program
Electrostatic Filtration of Large Lubricant Reservoirs
FY21-94-230: Systematically Applied Research to Develop High Value Products from Coal
- Sponsor: Semplastics EHC LLC and Affiliates
- Objective: Comprised of four different sub-projects that integrate coal and coal ash into plastics safe and strong building materials. The technological target is to provide new improved building materials out of lignite-based resources.
- Funded Amount: $250,000
- Total Project Cost: $2,733,130
- Final Report
FY21-94-231: Systematically Applied Research to Develop High Value Products from Coal
- Sponsor: Semplastics EHC LLC and Affiliates
- Objective: Comprised of four different sub-projects that integrate coal and coal ash into plastics safe and strong building materials. The technological target is to provide new improved building materials out of lignite-based resources.
- Funded Amount: $50,000
- Total Project Cost: $546,626
- Final Report
FY21-94-232: Lignite-Derived Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
- Sponsor: Institute for Energy Studies/University of ND (UND)
- Objective: To develop and demonstrate an economic process for production of advanced composite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries using lignite-derived pitch and synthetic graphite as the main feedstock.
- Funded Amount: $75,000
- Total Project Cost: $667,465
- Final Report
FY21-94-233: Electrostatic Filtration of Large Lubricant Reservoirs
- Sponsor: Institute for Energy Studies/University of ND (UND)
- Objective: Development of a small and affordable electrostatic oil cleaner system that will allow power plant equipment to operate with a lower risk of failure due to contamination.
- Funded Amount: $151,494
- Total Project Cost: $350,948
- Final Report
FY21-94-234: Annual Lignite Energy Council Education Program
- Sponsor: Lignite Energy Council (LEC)
- Objective: To educate teachers, students, and members of the public in the region about career opportunities, energy production, economic benefits, and operations of the Lignite Industry. Of specific note is the new Lignite Learn (an E-Campus) which will continue moving forward with the development of a two-pronged website aimed at laying the foundation for an e-learning option for the Lignite Education Seminar.
- Funded Amount: $200,000
- Total Project Cost: $412,000
- Final Report
Grant Round 93
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Project Tundra FEED
Naphtha and Tar Oil Overhead Refining Project
No Approved Projects
Grant Round 92
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Laboratory-Scale Coal-Derived Graphene Process
Drill Stratigraphic Test Well & Determine Feasibility of Central ND Geology to Safely and Permanently Store Carbon Dioxide
FY20-92-227: Laboratory-Scale Coal-Derived Graphene Process
- Sponsor: Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: Develop a technological process for converting North Dakota (ND) lignite and other U.S. coals into high-value solid carbon products such as graphene for use in multiple applications.
- Funded Amount: $162500
- Total Project Cost: $931564
- Final Report
- Sponsor: Midwest AgEnergy Group
- Objective: To provide critical information about central North Dakota geology as required to demonstrate the capacity for long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2).
- Funded Amount: $3,638,000
- Total Project Cost: $7,456,000
- Final Report
Grant Round 91
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Annual Lignite Energy Council Education Program
Preliminary Front End Engineering and Design (pre-FEED) Study for a Full-scale Carbon Dioxide Capture System at Coal Creek Station (CSS2)
Wastewater Recycling Using a Hygroscopic Cooling System
PCOR Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment
FY20-91-223: Annual Lignite Energy Council Education Program
- Sponsor: Lignite Energy Council (LEC)
- Objective: To educate teachers, students, and members of the general public about career opportunities, economic benefits, and operations of the lignite industry.
- Funded Amount: $100,000
- Total Project Cost: $207,800
- Final Report
- Sponsor: Great River Energy
- Objective: This project provides an initial investigation of the potential for CCUS at Coal Creek through a pre-FEED study and includes investigation of the storage geology.
- Funded Amount: $4,239,000
- Total Project Cost: $8,478,000
- Final Report
FY20-91-225: Wastewater Recycling Using a Hygroscopic Cooling System
- Sponsor: Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: Evaluation of novel cooling system for power plants with a focus on water management.
- Funded Amount: $100,000
- Total Project Cost: $820,675
- Final Report
FY20-91-226: PCOR Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment
- Sponsor: Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
- Objective: This project provides a continuation of the PCOR program to help address challenges and opportunities for commercial CCUS in the region.
- Funded Amount: $2,000,000
- Total Project Cost: $12,504,348
- Final Report
Grant Round 90
Summary of Applications
Technical Review Summary
Approval Summary
Co-Production of Multiple High Value Solid Products from Lignite Coals
Rare Earth Element Extraction and Concentration at Pilot-Scale from ND Coal-Related Feedstocks
Mitigation of Alkali Promoted Ash Deposition and Emissions from Coal Combustion
FY20-90-221: Rare Earth Element Extraction and Concentration at Pilot-Scale from ND Coal-Related Feedstocks
- Sponsor: Institute for Energy Studies/University of ND (UND)
- Objective: The team has initiated Phase 3 with DOE and North Dakota, directed at demonstrating its novel technology for rare earth element recovery from North Dakota lignite coal feedstocks at the pilot scale.
- Funded Amount: $1,075,000
- Total Project Cost: $7,158,555
- Final Report
FY20-90-222: Mitigation of Alkali Promoted Ash Deposition and Emissions from Coal Combustion
- Sponsor: Barr Engineering Co.
- Objective: Evaluation of technology for prevention and removal of aerosols in lignite fired systems to improve operation and provide improvements for any future CCUS systems.
- Funded Amount: $400,000
- Total Project Cost: $4,999,412
- Final Report