Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) announced $7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand and develop new and safe uses for coal-wastes, including $1 million awarded to Touchstone Research Laboratory in Triadelphia, West Virginia to develop coal waste into feedstock for high-value synthetic graphite. In August, both Chairman Manchin and Senator Capito expressed support for Touchstone Research Laboratory's application for funding through the National Energy Technology Laboratory's Advanced Coal Processing program.

“West Virginia coal has powered the American economy for decades, and today’s funding announcement will advance efforts to use coal-waste in developing valuable products, supporting our environmental objectives and the coal value chain. West Virginia’s abundant coal resources have proven attributes that make it a prime feed-stock for high-end valuable products and we need to ensure we are investing in the resources needed to harness the full value of this important natural resource in the cleanest and most efficient way possible. Doing so has the potential to provide new economic opportunities and revitalize traditional energy producing communities who have been hit the hardest by the energy transition,” said U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

“West Virginia’s coal miners have worked hard to keep the lights on and power this country for generations. Research and development of advance coal technologies is important not only to the future of coal, but also to the opportunities that are available for West Virginians. Touchstone has been a leader in revolutionizing new technology that reduces waste from coal facilities, which was why I was proud to advocate on behalf of this project last August. Coal remains the lifeblood of West Virginia’s energy economy, and this funding will help us continue to grow and strengthen this important sector,” U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito said.

The selected projects announced today will be managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Carbon Ore Processing Program. A detailed list of the projects and their associated areas of interest can be found here.

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