December
The Laramie Boomerang, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the Jackson Hole News & Guide published UW's news release that the UW Board of Trustees voted to approve two new certificate programs at the School of Energy Resources in carbon capture utilization and storage and land administration.
The CS-T published an article on how the community of Kemmerer is attempting to stay alive despite the downturn of coal and oil and gas production in the area. Holly Krutka, UW’s School of Energy Resources executive director, was among several experts discussing alternative research into the use of coal and its byproducts.
November
Newswires published a joint media release announcing that UW’s School of Energy Resources, the Wyoming Business Council and the Wyoming Energy Authority released a request for expression of interest to solicit input from key stakeholders on direct air capture activities and initiatives in Wyoming.
County 17 published UW’s release noting that university representatives, including SER's Fred McLaughlin, will be at Gillette College next week for a “UW in Your Community” gathering. Seidel will speak on UW’s collaborative efforts with Gillette College to prepare students for the modern economy and boost entrepreneurism and the state’s economy.
WyoFile reported that a legislative committee advanced a bill on rare earth element permitting. Surveys to better define Wyoming’s rare earth mineral resources are underway at UW’s School of Energy Resources and the Wyoming State Geological Survey.
Corporate Knights quoted Jonathan Naughton, co-director of UW’s Wind Energy Research Center, for an article that focused on how the clean energy transition is quietly happening in conservative communities, such as in Wyoming, that have historically been dependent on fossil fuels.
October
UW geology and geophysics Professor John Kaszuba was among researchers who assisted with a study on turning carbon dioxide into solid minerals underground. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers led the study. Highways Today published a PNNL release on the study.
Fred McLaughlin, UW’s Center for Economic Geology Research director, was among speakers at a recent town-hall meeting in Rocks Springs that focused on how Project Bison, a 5-megaton direct air capture carbon removal project in Wyoming, will affect the state. The Gillette News Record published the Rocket Miner article.
According to an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) media release, UW is among five colleges that are part of the multidisciplinary Emerging Energy Market Analysis, a new initiative led by INL to accelerate the clean energy transition. Two of the states involved -- Wyoming and Alaska -- have begun to look at clean energy through the lens of critical social values, especially jobs, according to the release.
Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Christelle Khalaf, a faculty fellow in UW’s Center for Business and Economic Analysis, about a paper she wrote titled “Measuring the Economic Impacts of Wind Projects in Wyoming.” The analysis finds that wind power in the state could create more than 3,500 construction jobs (500 permanent) and $30 million in annual tax revenue over the decades-long lifetimes of the development projects.
Scott Quillinan, senior director of research for UW’s School of Energy Resources, was quoted in a Cowboy State Daily article titled “Wyoming Coal Could Benefit From Texas Permitting Expansion.” Coal Zoom also published the article.
September
WXYZ TV, an ABC affiliate in Detroit, Mich., carried a piece on carbon capture, utilization and storage, a technique to store CO2 underground. Fred McLaughlin, director of UW’s Center for Economic Geology Research, discussed how the process works.
County 17 and The Cheyenne Post published UW’s release announcing that Arch Resources recently donated $500,000 to UW’s School of Energy Resources to support its work in carbon management and land reclamation practices.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported that a pair of U.S. technology companies will build a first-of-its-kind facility to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it permanently underground. Scott Quillinan, senior director of research for UW’s School of Energy Resources, said that the state’s early investments in carbon capture, utilization and storage are paying off. Laramie Live published a related article.
Ground was broken in Campbell County for a coal byproducts demonstration project -- a facility that will show how coal can be used to create a range of products. The Laramie Boomerang was among media outlets reporting that UW’s Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion is leading the effort, collaborating with Atlas Carbon and Wood.
Wyoming Business Report published an article on how hydrogen can be added as an energy source in Wyoming. Eugene Holubnyak, director of UW’s Hydrogen Energy Research Center, was among experts commenting on the piece.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a coal byproduct demonstration facility was recently reported by Wyoming Public Radio, which noted that the objective is to find new uses for coal. UW’s School of Energy Resources is among entities that will use the facility for research.
August
UW’s School of Energy Resources, Atlas Carbon and Wood PLC will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 2 to launch a new coal refinery demonstration project north of Gillette, according to The Gillette News Record.
County 17 reported that the UW School of Energy Resources and Gillette College will host a forum in Gillette Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 on the carbon ore, rare earth and critical mineral project in the Powder River Basin.
The Associated Press featured how UW researchers, led by Fred McLaughlin, director of the Center for Economic Geology Research, are studying whether small spaces in rock deep underground can permanently store vast volumes of greenhouse gas emitted by a coal-fired power plant. The Washington Post republished the article.
July
The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources posted on its website that UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Executive Director Holly Krutka testified last week before the committee at a hearing that examined federal regulatory authorities governing the development of interstate hydrogen pipelines, storage, and import and export facilities. RTO Insider carried a related article.
Coal Zoom published UW’s release noting that university researchers recently published a policy analysis article in the journal Environmental Science & Technology that examines the potential role of economic and policy incentives to facilitate carbon capture and storage deployment in the state.
Holly Krutka, UW School of Energy Resources executive director, was interviewed for a WyoFile piece titled “Lawmakers seek deal for coal carbon capture.” Krutka commented on UW’s research on carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies.
June
The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) reported that UW will receive an $800,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant for a research project that looks at how nuclear energy technology siting impacts communities and the environment. A nuclear facility is slated to be built near Kemmerer. The Laramie Boomerang published a similar article.
Wyoming Public Radio noted that the new Wyoming Innovation Center, a facility that aims to research the different uses of coal, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony. UW’s School of Energy Resources is among those conducting studies at the facility, located in Campbell County. Building Design + Construction published a similar article.
Wyoming Public Media talked with Richard Horner, director of UW’s Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion, about the construction of two demonstration houses on campus. One was made using bricks that were derived from Wyoming coal. UW researchers hope to show that building materials made from coal are just as good, if not better, than traditional bricks and mortar.
County 17 reported that the Wyoming Innovation Center, which will explore options for using the region’s natural resources to grow and sustain jobs, will have a grand opening this week. UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Executive Director Holly Krutka is among the speakers for the event.
Gov. Mark Gordon mentioned UW’s SER in a column that focused on Wyoming’s energy efforts. Cowboy State Daily published the column that noted SER is studying the potential of rare earth elements found in coal ash from the Powder River Basin.
May
K2 Radio noted that the Wyoming Energy Authority signed an MOU with Battelle Energy Alliance, the operating contractor of Idaho National Laboratory (INL), to collaborate on advanced energy technologies. The MOU listed coordination and engagement between INL and UW as a possible element of cooperation.
Scott Quillinan, senior director of research for UW’s School of Energy Resources, was a guest on “The POWER Podcast.” He discussed work that UW is doing to help the coal industry become more sustainable in the episode titled “Keeping Coal Relevant: University of Wyoming Leads the Way.”
The Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Conference for Wyoming students returns for an in-person event next week on the UW campus. The Pinedale Roundup and WyoToday Media published UW’s release.
April
UW Associate Professor Haibo Zhai, the Roy and Caryl Cline Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources, has four research papers referenced in the latest international climate report. Wyoming News Now published UW’s release.
Laramie Live published UW’s release noting that ground was broken on a demonstration house made of coal-derived building materials and char bricks. The project is part of the Carbon Engineering Initiative in the UW School of Energy Resources’ Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion. Similar posts were share in Wyoming News Now, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, and Wyo Today Media.
Your Wyoming Link KLWY FOX 27 interviewed SER Executive Director Holly Krutka, and the Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion director, Richard Horner in a segment on the evening news regarding the demonstration house made of coal-derived building materials and char bricks.
Hardwood Paroxysm, a news website, noted that UW Associate Professor Dario Grana is a recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Current and former students and colleagues from the Pizzighettone area in the Italian region of Lombardy nominated Grana for the award. Grana maintains a residence in Italy.
UW soil science researchers are conducting preliminary tests of a coal-derived soil amendment that so far is producing results similar to another popular soil amendment, biochar. Wyoming News Now and The Gillette News Record published UW’s release on their websites.
March
UW College of Law Professor Tara Righetti was quoted during a meeting of interested residents in North Dakota that focused on issues surrounding how the energy industry uses rock cavities -- known as “pore space” -- to store substances. Pore space is a growing issue for North Dakota’s energy industry and landowners, according to The Bismarck Tribune.
Laramie Live published UW’s release announcing that the Nuclear Energy Research Center in UW’s SER is seeking proposals from UW faculty members currently receiving or pursuing sponsored research for nuclear-related projects.
February
A new study from UW’s School of Energy Resources (SER) revealed Wyoming residents’ views on achieving a net-zero carbon energy economy. The survey also examined the opportunities and technologies that stakeholders feel will be more effective in meeting that goal in Wyoming. KGAB Radio published UW’s release on the study.
UW’s SER, Baker Hughes and the Wyoming Energy Authority are collaborating to offer UW students an opportunity to introduce novel solutions in the decarbonization space through a $5,000 ideation innovation contest. Sheridan Media published UW’s release.
WyoFile reported that Brian Anderson, executive director of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, said the agency will match previously denied Wyoming coal community grant proposals with other granting opportunities. Holly Krutka, UW School of Energy Resources (SER) executive director, was interviewed for the article.
Global Mining Review published UW’s release noting that student Nadia Dworian will work with U.S. Gold Corp. on the Copper King Gold Project, located near Curt Gowdy State Park. She will collect geological data.
UW’s SER received a $500,000 commitment from energy company Williams to help develop a Hydrogen Energy Research Center. H2 View and Hydrogen Central both published UW’s announcement. Williams published its own release announcing the donation.
January
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle published UW’s release noting that UW student Nadia Dworian, from Anchorage, Alaska, will work with U.S. Gold Corp. on the Copper King Gold Project, located near Curt Gowdy State Park. She will collect geological data.
CBS News profiled the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) carbon-capture technologies efforts and how some of those projects have yet to come to fruition. UW School of Energy Resources Executive Director Holly Krutka was interviewed, saying that part of the DOE's job is to develop new technology -- not to create functional commercial projects. She also defended carbon capture and storage technology.
County 10 reported that geologists with the UW School of Energy Resources (SER), the UW Department of Geology and Geophysics, Wyoming State Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey are working to research, locate, quantify and map geology in Wyoming that may contain critical minerals.
Mining Engineering and Coal Age published UW’s release noting that the SER-led Wyoming CarbonSAFE Project recently began drilling a second deep test well for site characterization. The project is at the Dry Fork Station near Gillette.
A second well has been drilled in the Wyoming CarbonSAFE Project, led by the UW School of Energy Resources. The Gillette News Record covered a media event last week at the Dry Fork Station near Gillette. Carbon Capture Journal published UW’s release on the announcement.
UW Professor Tim Considine is conducting a study for the Garfield County (Colo.) commissioners that details the impacts of recent new state oil and gas regulations on the local economy. The Post Independent, in Glenwood Springs, Colo., reported on the details.
UW Professor Tim Considine’s report on job losses was cited in Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile articles focusing on Gov. Mark Gordon signing a temporary emergency suspension order that allows Unit 2 of the Jim Bridger Power Plant to continue operating for at least four months, averting a shutdown of the unit this week.
UW’s School of Energy Resources received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to assess the economic impacts of fossil energy production in Wyoming and evaluate opportunities and research needs to deploy clean hydrogen technologies. SweetwaterNow published UW’s announcement.
The Wyoming Energy Authority and UW’s School of Energy Resources recently presented an “Advanced Nuclear 101” webinar to provide expert information and to answer questions involving the proposed Natrium nuclear plant to be built near Kemmerer. The article originally appeared in The Kemmerer Gazette and was published in The Laramie Boomerang.
