Energy Transition News and Perspectives 

In the push to decarbonize the economy throughout the Intermountain West and beyond, the public conversation often centers on wind and solar energy, electric cars, hydrogen power and carbon capture and storage. The grid—the interconnected power plants, transmission lines and control centers that keep the lights on across the country—is the indispensable enabler of this future carbon-neutral electrified world. Yet the grid is often left out of the discussion.

The Wyoming Energy Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a prime contractor to assist the Western Inter-States Hydrogen Hub (WISHH) with its proposal to the US Department of Energy’s impending “Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs” funding opportunity announcement.

Water and its critical role in new energy economies was on everyone’s mind at a recent public workshop convened June 14 by the Intermountain West Energy Sustainability and Transitions initiative. As the 120-plus stakeholders, public officials, and interested citizens in attendance learned, technical experts are evaluating how water is used in key carbon-neutral energy technologies and exploring water-saving approaches to ensure water won’t be a barrier to energy transition.

Across the six-state Intermountain West region, people are wondering how the transition to a carbon-neutral economy affect them, their families, their jobs and their towns. A new episode of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s “Down to a Science” podcast takes a look at how I-WEST is emphasizing community-level input on how best to incorporate various technologies for decarbonization.

One of the prominent carbon dioxide removal pathways expected to play a role over the next century is called Direct Air Capture (DAC)—a technology that removes CO2 from the atmosphere without using photosynthesis. DAC is highly attractive because it does not require large swaths of land to scale and it can be positioned anywhere, allowing it to be co-located with end-use partners.

Take a quick look around and it’s likely you’ll see plastics in every direction. While they appear to be an inexpensive and ideal material for nearly every purpose, plastics come at a high cost to the environment.

An article in the science and technology magazine 1663 explains why I-WEST is exploring the synergy between fossil and renewable energy and how it can be leveraged to speed the Intermountain West toward carbon neutrality.

There’s a lot of buzz about how carbon capture and storage can help keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to combat climate change, but how much do you know about the science behind these technologies? Increase your knowledge in less than 60 seconds with an explanatory video by Los Alamos National Laboratory.

On April 6, 2022, KOB 4 featured an interview with George Guthrie, Deputy Director of Applied Energy Programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Technical Lead on I-WEST, in which he explains the inner workings of carbon capture and storage technology.

Certification can be the difference between failure and success. In the context of carbon sequestration and the disposal of carbon waste, failure can mean wasting money, harming communities, wrecking biodiversity, and failing to address the climate crisis.

The Intermountain West is a vast region populated largely by small rural communities, many traditionally underserved and struggling with economic challenges.

Los Alamos Deputy Director for Science, Technology, and Engineering highlights I-WEST as an important step toward regional energy transition.