The Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research (VCCER) was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1977, as an interdisciplinary study, research, information, and resource facility for the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The mandate of the Center encompasses the three missions of the University—instruction, research, and outreach and our staff represents a range of academic disciplines and the VCCER itself functions as direct liaison to the resources of Virginia Tech. 

The VCCER conducts and coordinates research for the federal government, the Virginia General Assembly, and other corporate, government, and academic sponsors. The Center works to bring individuals and organizations with specific expertise, research needs and assets together to enhance energy-related research in Virginia, the southern Appalachian region, and internationally. 

Our specific research interests are: 

• Energy Independence: optimization of fuel recovery, health and safety issues, and alternate fuels/chemicals from coal
• Energy Planning: public policy, the role of renewable energy and marketing and transportation of energy fuels
• Sustainable Development:  economic development, environmental impacts of recovery and utilization, and social implications
• Carbon Storage: Regional carbon sequestration partnerships, characterization and injection field testing, monitoring, measurement and verification, and community outreach
• International Initiatives: education and development

For more information visit:

www.energy.vt.edu

Contact Information

Dr. Michael Karmis, Director
VCCER
Virginia Tech
National Capital Region
1101 King Street, Suite 610
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 518-2707
(703) 518-3145 (fax)

Contact email: mkarmis@vt.edu