[Federal Register: December 29, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 249)] [Notices] [Page 73025-73026] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr29de99-70] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Notice Inviting Financial Assistance Applications AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). ACTION: Notice inviting financial assistance applications. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Energy announces that it intends to conduct a competitive Program Solicitation and award financial assistance (Cooperative Agreements) for the program entitled ``Testing and Evaluation of Promising Mercury Control Technologies for Coal Based Power Systems''. Through this solicitation, DOE seeks to support applications in the following areas of interest: (1) Field Testing of Activated Carbon Upstream of Existing Utility Particulate Control Devices, (2) Field Testing of Effective Mercury Control Technologies Upstream of and Across Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems, (3) Field Testing of Concepts for Augmenting or Aiding in the Overall Control of Mercury in the Field Tests under Topic 1 and Topic 2, and (4) Testing Novel and Less Mature Control Technologies on Actual Flue Gas at the Pilot-scale. A DOE technical panel will perform a scientific and engineering evaluation of each responsive application to determine the merit of the approach, and availability of DOE funding in the technical areas proposed. Awards will be made to a limited number of applicants based on this review. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin J. Byrnes, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Acquisition and Assistance Division, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-112, Pittsburgh PA 15236- 0940, Telephone: (412) 386-4486, FAX: (412) 386-6137, E-mail: byrnes@netl.doe.gov. This solicitation (available in both WordPerfect 6.1 and Portable Document Format (PDF)) will be released on DOE's NETL Internet site (http:/www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit) on or about January 28, 2000. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title of Solicitation: ``Testing and Evaluation of Promising Mercury Control Technologies for Coal Based Power Systems.'' Objectives: The mission of the DOE Mercury Measurement and Control Program is to perform research and development in order to provide a better understanding of mercury and its speciation for coal-based power generation activities. The Department of Energy's Mercury Measurement and Control Program goal is to develop control strategies for reducing the current annual utility mercury emissions by 50 to 70% by 2005 and by 90% by 2010 at a cost between one-quarter to one-half of the current cost estimates. Research continues on developing potential technologies for mercury emission reduction from utility plants, and is designed to augment existing pre- and post-combustion technologies, with investigations studying different combustion conditions for possible mercury removal or mercury speciation modifications. The post- combustion R&D focuses on the addition of some type of sorbent technology (including gas-phase additives) to adsorb the mercury, or using new technology for mercury control. The primary objective of this solicitation is to solicit applications for work that seek cost-shared projects (1) to conduct field testing of promising mercury control technologies to determine their maximum removal of measured mercury levels (total i.e., elemental plus oxidized) while determining realistic process/equipment costs for various levels of Hg removed; and (2) to further develop the less mature methods for possible control of mercury emissions from coal- fired power plants. A secondary focus of this solicitation is to measure and/or assess potential multiple pollutant or co-control associated with the control technology field test and development projects designed to elucidate mercury emission reductions. The key element addressed in the solicitation's overall areas of interest is the control of mercury and its species generated by U.S. coal-fired utility boiler systems. Intent: The Department of Energy's intent under this solicitation is to gather cost and performance data by field testing of promising mercury control technologies, and smaller pilot-scale investigations to determine: (1) The potential mercury removal or efficiency of promising mercury control technologies at a larger scale; (2) the portion of the very diverse utility industry that these mercury control technologies could penetrate or be retrofittable allowing high end mercury removal; (3) the possible negative and positive impacts of retrofitting these mercury control technologies; (4) accurate cost(s) of retrofitting these technologies; (5) the highest amount of Hg removed at the lowest cost per pound; and (6) effective sequestration of the captured mercury in the various media utilized as by-products or being disposed in landfills. Eligibility: Eligibility for participation in this Program Solicitation is considered to be full and open. All interested parties may apply. The solicitation will contain a complete description of the technical and organizational evaluation factors and the relative importance of each factor. While national laboratories may not participate as a prime they may participate as a sub-contractor. Areas of Interest: The Department expects to support applications in the following areas of interest: (1) Field Testing of Activated Carbon Upstream of Existing Utility Particulate Control Devices, (2) Field Testing of Effective Mercury Control Technologies Upstream of and Across Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems, (3) Field Testing of Concepts for Augmenting or Aiding in the Overall Control of Mercury in the Field Tests under Topic 1 and Topic 2, and (4) Testing Novel and Less Mature Control Technologies on Actual Flue Gas at the Pilot-scale. Awards: DOE anticipates issuing financial assistance (cooperative agreements) for each project selected. DOE reserves the right to support or not support, with or without discussions, any or all applications received in whole or in part, and to determine how many awards may be made through the solicitation subject to the funds available. DOE expects to provide a total of $7.4 million for projects under Topic 1; a total of $2.0 million for projects under Topic 2; a total of $0.775 million for projects under Topics 3; and a total of $2.0 million for projects under Topic 4. The period of performance for all projects is expected to be within three years, with projects associated with Topics 1 through 4 being initiated at different times over the three year period. This is dependent on the number of awards and the availability of [[Page 73026]] the independent contractor performing the sampling and analyses of mercury for all the field tests. The minimum cost shares are twenty (20) percent and fifty (50) percent, depending on criteria described in the draft solicitation. Solicitation Release Date: A draft of this Program Solicitation is available for comment on FETC's World Wide Web Server Internet System at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit until January 14, 2000. The final Program Solicitation is expected to be ready for release on or about January 28, 2000. Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the instructions and forms contained in the Program Solicitation. Richard D. Rogus, Contracting Officer, Acquisition and Assistance Division. [FR Doc. 99-33828 Filed 12-28-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P