[미국] 라마코 카본, 에너지 전환 내 석탄 미래 역할 논의하고자 'R3' 열어

고부가가치 제품 만들기 위한 석탄 사용 방법

미국 상원의원 및 미국 에너지국 등 참여

미국 와이오밍 주 셰리단 칼리지에서 열려

 

탄소 석탄 연구 콘퍼런스 R3(라마코 리서치 로데오)가 지난 13일(현지시간) ‘에너지 전환의 미래에 대한 석탄의 역할’을 주제로, 미국 와이오밍 주 셰리단(Sheridan)에 있는 셰리단 칼리지에서 열렸다. 이날 이 회의에 미국 에너지국(DOE) 연구원과 탄소 물질 과학자를 비롯해 미국의 주요 상원의원들이 참석했다.

앞서 라마코 리소시스(Ramaco Resources)의 자회사 라마코 카본(Ramaco Carbon)은 국제 에너지 기구 아래 조직된 기술 협약 프로그램인 ICSC(International Centre for Sustainable Carbon)와 협력해 R3를 주최했다.

R3는 에너지 전환에서 석탄의 미래 역할, 고부가가치 제품을 만드는 데 석탄을 사용하는 방법에 대한 전 세계 연구자들의 발표로 구성됐다.

존 배러소 미국 상원의원은 “우리는 석탄에서 추출한 탄소를 일상적인 물질로 바꾸는 법에 대해 고민하고 있다”며 “미래에 활력을 불어넣을 천연자원을 보유한 와이오밍 주는 R3를 통해 혁신적인 솔루션을 개발하고자 훌륭한 인재를 모으고 있다”고 말했다.

그랜트 브롬할 미국 에너지국 화석에너지부 임원은 “우리는 석탄으로부터 고부가가치 탄소 제품을 생산하는 기술을 개발하고 있다”며 “우리의 주요 원칙은 전체 자원을 어떻게 사용하는지에 달려 있다”고 설명했다.

브롬할은 또 “에너지국의 목표는 이러한 기회가 더 많이 작용할 수 있도록 하는 것”이라며 “앞으로 어떻게 될지 기대하고 있다”고 덧붙였다.

조 만친 미국 상원의원은 “이번 회의에서 발표된 연구 중 일부는 이미 다른 생산 방법에 비해 낮은 비용의 탄소 기반 제품을 제조할 기회를 잡았다”며 “이러한 초기 석탄 생산 산업이 상업적으로 완전히 생산될 때까지 더 많은 지원에 힘 써야 할 것”이라고 밝혔다.

이번 행사는 라마코 리소시스 재단을 대표해 셰리단 칼리지의 새로운 장학 프로그램을 여는 특별 행사도 마련했다. 장학 프로그램은 탄소 광석 및 희토류 분야 경력을 추구하는 학생들을 지원하고 인재를 육성한다.

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National Researchers, Political Leaders Discuss the Role of Coal and Carbon in Energy Transition at 2023 Ramaco Research Rodeo

The semi-annual event featured remarks from U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, Department of Energy leaders, and material scientists and researchers from around the world

 

SHERIDAN, Wyo. - For the third year, Wyoming played host this past week to the world's leading research conference focused on carbon and coal-toproducts research, the Ramaco Research Rodeo (R3). The conference was held in Sheridan, and brought together Department of Energy (DOE)

researchers and leadership, leading carbon and material scientists, and more, as well as appearances by the two leading U.S. senators on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

R3 was hosted by Sheridan-based carbon technology and critical minerals company Ramaco Carbon, a subsidiary of Ramaco Resources, Inc(NASDAQ: METC), in partnership with the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon, a technology collaboration program organized under the auspices of the Paris-based International Energy Agency. Held at Sheridan College, the event's theme was "Coal's Role in the Future of Energy Transition" and featured keynote addresses by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (Wyoming), U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (West Virginia), and senior leaders from both the Department of Energy and major national laboratories.

The event was largely comprised of technical sessions by researchers from around the world on the future role of coal in the energy transition and its use in creating high-value products and materials, as well as presentations on rare earth elements (REEs) and other carbon-related research.

In his opening remarks on the event's first day, Sen. Barrasso praised the event for "bringing together innovative minds to discuss energy technology and research," and Ramaco's work in pioneering new uses for coal to develop higher-value products.

"I'm so proud of the work that the people of Wyoming are doing to develop coal-to-product technologies," said Barrasso. "We're finding ways to transform coal-derived carbon into everyday materials. These materials include asphalt, graphite, carbon fiber, and more Wyoming has the natural resources to fuel the future and (with) conferences like the Research Rodeo, Wyoming is bringing together great minds to develop innovative solutions."

Keynote speaker Grant Bromhal, acting director of the Mineral Sustainability Division of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, further underlined this initiative. He highlighted the Department of Energy's "carbon ore processing program, where we're looking at developing technologies that allow us to produce valuable products, high-value and high-volume carbon products from coal. As we do this, our primary principles are how we use the entire resource."

"This is what the Department of Energy is trying to do: to enable this and many more opportunities like this to come into play," said Bromhal. "So we're very excited about what's going on here."

Bromhal also highlighted the recent discovery of REEs at Ramaco's Brook Mine outside of Sheridan, which the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has announced could be one of the largest unconventional deposits of magnetic REEs in the world, used in advanced military technology, electric vehicles, and much more.

One of the heads of this research effort, NETL geologist and geochemist Scott Montross, noted that this discovery was extremely promising for both Ramaco and Wyoming.

"This conference is a great venue to show how unique the Brook Mine coal is," said Montross. "No one can say right now if it's going to solve the problems of the world, but we've got a really good situation here."

In his opening remarks on the event's second day, Sen. Manchin said, "There is tremendous opportunity to convert coal and coal waste into valuable materials and products needed for cutting edge industries including graphite, metal composites and alloys, building materials, and other high value products used in advanced technologies, energy sectors, and industrial applications."

Some of the research being presented at the conference, Manchin said, "has already highlighted opportunities to manufacture carbon-based products from coal with lower consumer costs and lower environmental impacts, including reduced CO2 emissions, compared to other methods of production.

But we need to do more to support these nascent coal-to-product industries in getting off the ground until they're in full commercial production."

Other key R3 presenters included Mark Goulthorpe from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Andrew Minchener from the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon, Edgar Lara-Curzio from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Brian Davey from Australian Carbon Innovation, Holly Krutka and John Litynski of University of Wyoming, and Ramaco CEO and Chairman Randall Atkins.

The event also featured a special ceremony launching the creation of a new scholarship program at Sheridan College on behalf of the Ramaco Resources Foundation. The scholarship will support students pursuing careers in the fields of carbon ore and rare earth (CORE) elements, and will foster workforce training in these strategically vital and fast-growing fields. Initial $50,000 funding for the Ramaco CORE Scholarship will be comprised of two annual contributions of $25,000 to the college. The first contribution was awarded to Northern Wyoming Community College District president Dr. Walter Tribley during the ceremony by Randall Atkins and two of Ramaco Resources board members.

For more details surrounding R3, including a full agenda, please visit https://ramacocarbon.com/r3/. For video and imagery of the event, please contact press@ramacometc.com.

[출처 = 라마코 카본(Ramaco Carbon)(https://s3.amazonaws.com/b2icontent.irpass.cc/2352/rl120175.pdf) / 2023년 7월 17일]