The U.S. Department of Energy announced $6.5 million in funding split between nine coal technology research and development projects seeking to improve efficiency and lower environmental impacts.

The funding represents the first phase of three, announced in August 2017, which would invest $50 million in cost-shared research and development to develop two large-scale coal pilot projects that would advance the performance, efficiency, emission reduction and cost of electricity from coal-powered systems.

According to a Feb. 15 press release from the department, the projects selected in this phase include a feasibility study for a coal direct chemical looping plant, testing for various carbon capture and use technologies, sealing technology to improve efficiency at coal plants and other technologies.

Carbon capture projects have faced a series of regulatory and financial setbacks in recent years, but lawmakers and the coal industry praised the recent passage of legislation extending the technology.