News
UK IDEA at E-Day 2025: Capturing Carbon with the Next Generation of Innovators
At E-Day 2025, UK IDEA joined thousands of students and families in celebrating science, engineering, and technology at one of Lexington’s most anticipated STEM outreach events. Through interactive demonstrations and hands-on learning, we introduced young minds to the cutting-edge research shaping the future of sustainable energy and decarbonization.
UK IDEA - February 2025 Report
In February 2025, UK IDEA made significant strides in decarbonization research and community engagement. The institute contributed new publications on carbon capture research, participated in an industry panel at PowerGen International 2025, and showcased interactive demonstrations at Engineer Day (E-Day) 2025 to inspire the next generation of innovators.
PPL finalizes award for up to $72 million in federal funding from U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
PPL Corporation announced today it has executed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations for an award up to $72 million to help fund a groundbreaking carbon dioxide capture research and development project.
UK Pigman College of Engineering recommends the formation of the Institute for Decarbonization and Energy Advancement (IDEA)
In a changemaking move toward advancing sustainable low-carbon energy solutions, the University of Kentucky Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering has recommended the establishment of the Institute for Decarbonization and Energy Advancement (IDEA) to the Office of the Provost.
Global experts convene in Lexington for the 2024 International Conference on Energy and Environment
The International Conference on Energy and Environment, now in its third year, took place from July 15 to 19, 2024, at the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and Spa in Lexington, Kentucky.
New Research to Explore Potential for Utility-Scale Carbon Capture from Natural Gas Power Plants
The project is a joint effort between PPL Corporation subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, Electric Power Research Institute, the University of Kentucky, the University of Michigan, and Bechtel engineering, construction and project management company.
FEED Work Starts on a Carbon Capture Pilot at an NGCC
Front-end engineering design work is under way on a project that would deploy carbon capture technology at a natural gas combined cycle power plant in Kentucky.
LG&E and KU, EPRI, University of Kentucky, begin industry-leading research
Groundbreaking energy research that could lead to the first-of-its-kind deployment of carbon capture technology at a natural gas combined-cycle power plant is underway in Kentucky.
UK, Nucor Steel Gallatin Partnering on Unique CO2 Capture Project
The University of Kentucky has received $4.9 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to provide its carbon dioxide capture system a new challenge: to capture carbon dioxide at a low concentration from the Nucor Steel Gallatin process flue gas stream.
LG&E and KU supporting Kentucky’s Hydrogen Hub efforts
Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company have joined the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Hydrogen Hub initiative to make hydrogen a low-carbon solution for the future.
Patent Palooza! Celebrates UK Innovators
The University of Kentucky’s Office of Technology Commercialization recognized and celebrated UK innovators at its Patent Palooza! event November 9.
UK researchers working to improve tech to remove CO2 from atmosphere
Researchers at UK’s Center for Applied Energy Research are partnering with Vanderbilt University, LG&E and KU, and other institutions to improve technology to capture carbon directly from the atmosphere.
UK researchers working to significantly reduce the cost of capturing air pollution from plants
With the development of a novel acoustic-assisted process for capturing carbon dioxide, a team of researchers is hoping to reduce carbon emissions for coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities.
CAER Spin-off Becoming a Kentucky High-tech Success Story
Lippert, Landon and CAER's Kunlei Liu are co-founders of Lexington-based PowerTech Water, a start-up company that has developed advanced carbon electrode technologies to deliver clean water for nonenergy production field use in a sustainable manner at a lower cost and to solve some of the challenges related to the water-energy-food nexus.
UK's Kunlei Liu Named Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
Kunlei Liu, associate director for research at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research and associate professor in the UK College of Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.