Transitioning to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions

Transitioning to net-zero carbon emissions to address climate change is more urgent than ever. Decarbonization technologies will drive the critical energy transition needed to get the U.S. economy to net zero by 2050.

Part of the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE), the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management’s (FECM’s) core mission is to address the climate crisis. Addressing climate change is more urgent now than ever, and the U.S. government must do all it can to tackle this important issue.

The FECM, in partnership with other offices in the DOE, is supporting this mission through investments in research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) of technologies and solutions to ensure clean and affordable energy. Technology investments focus on minimizing the environmental impacts of fossil fuels and helping the nation achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through activities like expanding the reach of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, advancing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, reducing methane emissions from the fossil fuel supply chain, advancing a clean hydrogen economy, and developing domestic sources of critical materials.

At the same time, FECM is focused on improving the conditions of communities impacted by the legacy of fossil fuel use while supporting a healthy economic transition that accelerates the growth of good-paying jobs. FECM is working closely with other DOE offices and agencies on policy development and stakeholder engagement to ensure the success of this program.

This article discusses pathways that FECM has laid out in its strategic vision document (1) that was released this year, to execute a plan to attain a net-zero carbon emissions clean energy economy by 2050...