GE, National Grid, Mitsubishi Join Low-Carbon Resources Initiative

(Credit: EPRI)

GE, National Grid, and Mitsubishi are among the 39 companies that have signed on to the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI), a 5-year, $100 million research and development initiative aimed at identifying and developing commercially viable new technologies and solutions for deep decarbonization of the power sector.

Launched through a partnership between the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), LCRI will address the need to accelerate development and demonstration of low- and zero-carbon energy technologies. Specifically, the initiative will focus on eight key areas that represent the greatest opportunities for commercialization and deployment:

• Renewable fuels
• Hydrocarbon-based processes
• Electrolytic processes
• Delivery and storage
• Power generation
• End-use of low-carbon resources
• Safety and environmental aspects
• Integrated energy system analysis

The program is designed to provide participants with confidence and experience in technical understanding, economics, operational considerations, and regulatory implications required for deep decarbonization in order to better serve customer interests, deploy affordable and reliable solutions, and manage business and technical risk.

LCRI will provide detailed information to inform corporate strategy while also demonstrating stakeholder commitment to environment, social and governance (ESG) aspects. In addition, LCRI will provide a comprehensive analytical framework and robust data sources for tailored deep decarbonization scenario analysis that, coupled with technology advancements, will leverage existing assets to provide an economical transition to the low-carbon future.

Dr. Arshad Mansoor, President and CEO of EPRI, says, “There is tremendous potential to decarbonize the power sector. But significant progress in energy efficiency, clean electricity, and electrification are only projected to reduce economy-wide emissions by around 80% by 2050. Achieving the last 20% requires developing different solutions.

Fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, synthetic hydrocarbon fuels, and biofuels can provide greenhouse gas emissions reduction solutions for difficult-to-decarbonize sectors when produced via low-carbon means – from clean electricity, renewable feedstocks, or fossil resources with carbon capture, utilization, and storage. This white paper provides an introduction to the production, transport, storage, and use of these low-carbon fuels.

For more information on LCRI, or to get involved, visit the LCRI site, read the LCRI FAQs, or contact Neva Espinoza at EPRI.