Colorado State University will receive $1 million through a federal program that funds research into carbon capture projects.

Under the FLExible Carbon Capture and Storage initiative, CSU will design a thermal energy storage system with carbon capture. The project will aim to decrease the cost of electricity from natural gas-fired combined cycle plants and mitigate 95% of the carbon emissions.

“As we develop new renewable energy methods, it’s critical that we invest in and develop new energy storage technology as well,” said U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in response to the announcement. “The Department of Energy’s research programs have made the United States a world leader in science and technology, and this funding will help Colorado continue to be on the cutting-edge of research and development.”

FLECCS projects retrofit existing infrastructure or create new systems in areas with variable output of renewable energy from such sources as wind and solar. There will be two rounds of grants, for a total of $42.5 million.

“The FLECCS program is intended to enable the next generation of flexible, low-cost and low-carbon electricity systems, and we are eager to work with these teams to innovate the grid of the future,” said Lane Genatowski, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.