This presentation discusses how fossil fuel resources like coal and natural gas can support clean energy storage systems. It outlines how metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel found naturally in coal deposits can supplement production for use in batteries. It also reviews processes for converting fossil fuels to hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol as chemical energy carriers. While these conversion processes currently produce carbon emissions, the presentation discusses how carbon capture technologies could help mitigate this. The conclusion states that more research is still needed to sustainably utilize fossil resources for clean energy applications.

1. Presentation to
Fossil resources support
energy storage systems
Ben Natinsky
EERE AMO Summer Internship – Pittsburgh
Mentor: Dr. Ruishu Wright
Research Scientist NETL August 4, 2021

2. “This project was funded by the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency &
Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office Energy Storage summer
internship program, at the National Energy Technology Laboratory an agency
of the United States Government, through an appointment administered by
the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Neither the United States
Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of its employees, nor the
support contractor, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressor
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process
disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.
Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by
trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily
constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the
United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of
authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United
States Government or any agency thereof.”
Disclaimer
8/4/2021 2

3. Current climate status
8/4/2021 3
Map of wildfires in United States
Map of droughts in United States
Hurricanes projected to become
stronger and more intense
Sea levels are projected to rise
1‒8 feet by 2100

4. Annual CO2 emissions
8/4/2021 4
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=46537

5. • International pact between 196 countries to keep the global temperature from rising
above 2 ℃ (some committed to limit increase to 1.5 ℃)
• By 2030 the Administration is committed to cutting emissions by 50-52 % (below 2005
levels)
• By 2050, the goal is to completely end fossil fuel use and reach net-zero emissions
Paris Climate Agreement
8/4/2021 5
Paris Accord on Arc de Triomf
https://www.footprintnetwork.org/
Share of the world’s carbon footprint
https://earthjustice.org/features/paris-agreement

6. • Mechanical
• Electrochemical • Thermal
• Chemical
Energy storage systems
8/4/2021 6
Flywheel
Appl. Sci. 2017, 7, 286
Thermal to electric
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Ammonia
Adv. Mater. 2018, 31, 1805173
Hydrogen
Science 2006, 312, 1322–1323
Li-ion battery
Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1800561
Hydrogen fuel cell
Nature 2021, 595, 361–369

7. Energy generation breakdown
8/4/2021 7
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/
• Coal and natural gas are carbon
and hydrogen-rich sources that
are typically combusted to
produce heat and electricity
• However, the burning of
hydrocarbons releases
greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere
Coal Natural gas

8. • Coal production by region • Natural gas production by region
Abundance of fossil resources
8
8/4/2021
The global production of coal and natural gas resources is projected to
increase in the future
https://www.eia.gov/ieo

9. Can we still utilize fossil fuel materials?
8/4/2021 9
How can fossil fuels serve as resources and support clean
energy storage systems?

10. Fossil resources for energy storage
8/4/2021 10

11. Fossil resources for energy storage systems
8/4/2021 11

12. • Coal deposits, while majority hydrocarbon-based, have significant metal
impurities throughout their composition
• Depending on the location of coal deposits, their relative metal
concentrations will vary
Natural metal minerals in coal
8/4/2021 12

13. • Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese are vital
materials that are used in electrochemical storage
systems
• These metals are present in coal, coal ash, and fly ash
which can leach into the environment and harm
local ecosystems, wildlife, and humans
• Can extraction from coal rival that from natural
deposits?
Metals for electrochemical energy storage
8/4/2021 13
Mineral Concentration in
coal (wt %)
Concentration in
deposits (wt %)
Coal
location
Lithium 0.22‒0.65 0.02‒0.14 (brine)
0.6‒1.6 (ore)
Russia
Nickel 0.0034 ∼1 Canada
Cobalt 0.0007 0.01 China
Manganese 0.0005 0.1‒0.2 Global avg.
Lithium cobalt oxide Lithium manganese oxide
Lithium nickel manganese oxide
Metalliferous coals: formation conditions and outlooks for development. Geoinformmark, Moscow, 2004; Vol. vol. VI.
Exploration & Exploitation 2012, 30, 109-130
International Journal of Coal Geology 2016, 167, 157-175
Journal of Geochemical Exploration 2005, 86 (3), 143-163

14. • Extraction of metal minerals from coal
typically proceeds through an acid
leaching process in which the
inorganic metals are dissolved and
separated from the organic material
• Pre-combustion leaching processes
can lead to “cleaner coal”
• However, post-combustion coal and fly
ash typically have higher
concentrations of metal impurities,
leading to higher extraction
percentages
Extraction of metal minerals from coal
8/4/2021 14
Fuel 2003, 82, 1721–1734

15. • Ammonia economy
• Hydrogen economy • Methanol economy
Fossil resources to chemical energy carriers
15
8/4/2021
Joule 2020, 4, 1186‒1205 Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2003261
Green Chem. 2015, 17, 2304‒2324
To reduce carbon emissions and promote a clean energy economy, chemical
energy carriers are a vital component of future energy storage systems

16. • Coal gasification (∼1000 ℃) • Steam methane reforming
(3‒25 bar, 700‒1000 ℃)
Coal and natural gas to hydrogen
16
8/4/2021
National Energy Technology Laboratory
RSC Adv. 2020, 10, 12582‒12597
CH4 + H2O CO + 3 H2

17. Production of ammonia
8/4/2021 17
Adv. Mater. 2018, 31, 1805173
• NH3 can be synthesized with H2
produced from fossil resources
and used as an H2 carrier
• Haber-Bosch process is responsible
for 1 % global CO2 emissions
• Current infrastructure is amenable
to transportation and supply of
NH3 (liquid at standard conditions)
• However, to compete with the
Haber-Bosch process,
electrochemical NH3 production
must become more economically
competitive
Electrochemical N2 reduction to NH3
State-of-the-art Haber-Bosch process
(450 ℃, 200 bar)
https://cen.acs.org/environment/green-chemistry/Industrial-
ammonia-production-emits-CO2/

18. • Industrial methanol synthesis
• Electrochemical natural gas oxidation
• H2 production from CH3OH
• Direct methanol fuel cells
From fossil resources to methanol
18
8/4/2021
Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 3686
Nature 2013, 495, 85–89
https://fuelcellsworks.com/knowledge/technologies/dmfc/

19. Integration of carbon capture and
sequestration technologies
19
8/4/2021
Chem. Soc. Rev. 2012, 112, 724–781
Metal-organic frameworks for CO2 capture
• Carbon capture is necessary to close carbon loop and afford “Blue
Hydrogen”
• CO2 capture technologies can be applied to point sources of CO2
emissions (fossil fuel plants, oil refineries, or other industrial processes)

20. • The movement away from the combustion of fossil fuels for energy warrants
investigation into how they can support clean energy technologies
• The conversion of fossil fuel resources to chemical energy carriers (such as H2,
NH3, and CH3OH) is a matured process with existing technologies
• With the growing demand for renewable electricity and energy storage
systems, the demand for Li, Ni, Co, and Mn is only growing which can be
supplemented by their natural occurrence in coal
• However, all of these processes carry with them a significant carbon footprint
that must be neutralized
Summary of review
8/4/2021 20

21. • There is still a considerable amount of progress and research that must be
accomplished in order to sustainably utilize fossil energy sources
• Metals minerals in coal, coal ash, and fly ash are typically at a lower
concentration to those found in natural ore deposits, but coal still presents a
suitable supplement
• The conversion of coal and natural gas to hydrogen inevitably brings with it a
carbon footprint, however successful implementation of renewable heating
sources and carbon capture technology can help remediate this
Conclusion and outlook
8/4/2021 21

22. VISIT US AT: www.NETL.DOE.gov
@NationalEnergyTechnologyLaboratory
@NETL_DOE
@NETL_DOE
CONTACT:
Thanks!
Ben Natinsky
Ben.natinsky@chem.ucla.edu
Thanks to the DOE, NETL, and the
EERE AMO Energy Storage
Internships!
Special thanks to Dr. Ruishu Wright
for all her help and guidance
throughout this program!