[Federal Register: December 2, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 231)]
[Notices]
[Page 71544-71545]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02de02-69]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of
a Financial Assistance Solicitation
AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-03NT41716 entitled ``Gasification
Technologies Fundamental Research.'' This solicitation is intended to
support near-term fundamental gasification technologies research
projects that are: (1) Fundamental in nature, and (2) Important for the
commercial success of gasification technologies. It is anticipated that
the resultant projects will provide fundamental data useful to many
organizations across the industry to help move gasification
technologies toward the commercial marketplace. A secondary objective
is to increase university involvement with the Gasification
Technologies Program to ensure the inclusion of fresh, innovative ideas
in the program, and to educate future scientists and engineers in
gasification technologies.
DATES: The solicitation will be available on the ``Industry Interactive
Procurement System'' (IIPS) webpage located at http://e-center.doe.gov
on or about November 27, 2002. Applicants can obtain access to the
solicitation from the address above or through DOE/NETL's Web site at
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith L. Carrington, MS I07, U.S.
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 3610
Collins Ferry Road, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, E-mail
Address: keith.carrington@netl.doe.gov, Telephone Number: (304) 285-
4456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is anticipated that this action will
consist of a single solicitation focused on three specific topic areas.
Last year, the Gasification Technologies Product Team held interviews
with industry organizations to gain industry's perspective on barriers
to the commercial success of gasification technologies. This resulted
in a list of specific research and development areas for product team
consideration. This solicitation will address some of the near-term
fundamental research needs described on this industry-generated list,
chosen and modified by the Gasification Technologies Product Team based
on additional input from industry and the needs of the DOE Gasification
Technologies Program. The following two websites contain background
information on gasification technologies: http://www.netl.doe.gov/coalpower/gasification/
& http://www.gasification.org/resource/library/
library.html. The program solicitation will focus on the following
three topic areas:
1. Develop technologies to remove the barriers preventing the
economic use of low ranked (sub-bituminous and lignite) coals.
Examples: (a) New/improved approaches for increasing the thermal
stability of dewatered lignite. (b) Process/technology to create a
higher energy density feed slurry, including understanding the critical
properties changed by the process in terms of feed systems.
2. Develop improved materials to increase equipment life or
reliability in the gasifier and through the process to the syngas
cooler inlet. The net result of the material improvement must have
potential to be an economic advantage to the gasification industry.
Examples: (a) Improve feed system injector materials to increase the
injector life. (b) Increase the life of gasifier refractory, by
creating a more robust refractory, through investigation of refractory
reactivity with gasifier contaminants and techniques to improve
refractory stability, etc. (c) Metal alloys/fabrication that can
survive in the gasifier environment long enough to: (1) Assist the
development of more robust instrumentation (current average lifetime of
thermocouples is 30-45 days), or (2) Permit metal candle filter use at
temperatures approaching those in the gasifier (current metal filters
have an operation limit of about one year at 450 [deg]C).
3. Develop innovative, less expensive approaches to resolve
environmental and/or economic concerns with coal gasification fuel gas
contaminants and combustion flue gas pollutants, including the need for
ultra clean feed gas for chemical production. Examples: (a) Conduct a
mercury balance on the gasification process. (b) Create an added value
technology or study for solid or chemical by products such as the
concentration of mercury from conventional removal system for sale,
creation of a process using high purity sulfur to make a more lucrative
product, etc. (c) More effective/less expensive reduction of pollutants
and/or trace contaminants in the combustion flue gas. (d) New
instrumentation/techniques to measure trace metal concentrations in a
high-temperature, high-pressure, reducing environment.
It is anticipated that this program solicitation will result in
between three (3) to six (6) awards. The period of performance for each
award will range from one to three years with budget periods to be
established independently based on the logical technical phases of each
individual project. Based on
[[Page 71545]]
current planning levels, and subject to the availability of future
funding, DOE expects to provide up to approximately $3,600,000 to
support work under this solicitation. However, please note that due to
DOE's current operation under a continuing resolution, funds are not
presently available for this solicitation. Given the objective of this
program to increase university involvement in the Gasification
Technologies Program, a determination was made to limit recipients
under this program solicitation to U.S. colleges and universities and
university-affiliated research institutions. Industry collaboration
will be encouraged under this program, but only through cost-share and
subcontracting arrangements. Subcontracting opportunities by for-profit
organizations is limited to no more than 10% of DOE funding provided
under the cooperative agreement. In addition, Federal agencies and
agents (i.e. Management and Operating (M&O) contractors and/or National
Laboratories) are prohibited from proposing as a prime contractor or
subcontractor under this solicitation. Cost sharing is encouraged, but
not required, under the subject program solicitation.
Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading
from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be
able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If
you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS
function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800) 683-0751 or E-mail the Help
Desk personnel at IIPS_HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov. The solicitation
will only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the
solicitation and related documents will be made available. Telephone
requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for
a copy of the solicitation package will not be accepted and/or honored.
Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the
instructions and forms contained in the solicitation. The actual
solicitation document will allow for requests for explanation and/or
interpretation. However, all questions relating to the solicitation
must be submitted electronically through IIPS. All responses to
questions, as well as all amendments to the solicitation, will be
released on the IIPS homepage.
Issued in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 20, 2002.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 02-30409 Filed 11-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P