It performs research and development on the supply, efficiency, and environmental constraints of producing and using fossil energy resources while maintaining affordability.

NETL funds and manages contracted research in the United States and more than 40 foreign countries through arrangements with private organizations and other government agencies.

In 1910, the U.S. Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Mines established the Pittsburgh Experiment Station in Bruceton, Pennsylvania, to train coal miners and conduct research on coal-mining-related safety equipment and practices.

The RCSPs comprise more than 400 organizations covering 43 states and four Canadian provinces and include representatives from state and local agencies, regional universities, national laboratories, non-government organizations, foreign government agencies, engineering and research firms, electric utilities, oil and gas companies, and other industrial partners.

[citation needed] NETL addresses critical research and development challenges for near-zero emissions power production from coal.

Continued use of coal electric power production is enabled through NETL's research, development, demonstration, and, ultimately, deployment of advanced systems and technologies that increase overall plant efficiency while reducing emissions like carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxides (NOx).

Development of these systems is designed to enable continued use of the United States’ significant fossil fuel resources as a major contributor to the nation's energy portfolio.

[citation needed] The goals of NETL's research in advanced energy systems are to develop a new generation of clean coal-fueled energy conversion systems capable of producing competitively priced electric power while reducing CO2 and other emissions, improving efficiency, increasing plant availability, and reducing cooling water requirements.

Key aspects of this research include improving overall system thermal efficiency, reducing capital and operating costs, and enabling affordable CO2 capture.

[6] NETL helps advance development of technologies supporting efficient, environmentally benign unconventional domestic oil and gas resources.

NETL's research on unconventional oil and gas includes efforts for improving wellbore cement used to stabilize wells for deep-water drilling; expeditions to determine presence and volume of methane hydrate along coastlines; development of hydraulic fracturing data collection tools to improve environmental reporting, monitoring, and protection; analysis to determine alternate sources of freshwater for oil and gas development, as well as many other areas of expertise.

These projects and activities are related to energy efficiency in vehicles, buildings, and manufacturing facilities, as well as the enhancement, security and reliability of America's electrical and natural gas transmission and distribution systems.

In addition, NETL supports administration of the Clean Cities Program, which increases the use of alternative fuels for transportation by building coalitions of state and local governments, private industry, non-profit organizations, and fleet managers.

NETL is also managing Combined Heat and Power and Distributed Generation project activities on behalf of the EERE Advanced Manufacturing Office.