Research

Research Activities

The VCCER conducts and coordinates research for the Virginia General Assembly, state utilities and other corporate, government and academic sponsors. Typical areas of study include carbon management and sequestration, energy statistics and modelling, socio-economic effects of energy and coal development, environmental impacts of coal and energy, sustainable development of energy and mineral resources, optimization of mining systems, energy efficiency studies, coal bed methane extraction and utilization, energy infrastructure studies and innovative training programs. The Center also has strong interests in issues concerning global energy development, greenhouse gas emissions and deregulation of the electric utility industry.

Research Facilities

With offices at the main Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, the Virginia Tech Research Center , and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research is poised to respond to state, national, and international energy research needs. The Center has access to excellent laboratory facilities within the Virginia Tech infrastructure. Furthermore, Center researchers enjoy access to plants, mines and industrial facilities in the Commonwealth for conducting field studies.

Research Priorities

The Center’s current research spans several high-impact areas critical to energy and environmental policy. Thematic focus areas of note include:

• Carbon Management and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Research on carbon sequestration, carbon mineralization, and enhanced gas recovery.
• Sustainable Mining and Alternative Energy Sources: Investigations into rare-earth mineral recovery, alternative fuels, and optimized mining practices.
• Health, Safety, and Environmental Research: Studies on mine safety, environmental impacts of energy production, and innovative virtual training programs.