[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 116 (Friday, June 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14834]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 17, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Golden Field Office; Federal Assistance Award to Utility Photo 
Voltaic Group

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Financial Assistance Award in Response to a Financial 
Assistance Application.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the DOE 
Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.7, is announcing its intention 
to renew a Cooperative Agreement with the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group 
(UPVG) for a multi-task photovoltaics (PV) program intended to continue 
outreach efforts to electric utilities and to begin a multi-year PV 
hardware initiative.

ADDRESSES: Questions regarding this announcement may be addressed to 
the U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Blvd., 
Golden, Colorado 80401, Attention: J.W. Meeker, Contract Specialist. 
The telephone number is 303-275-4748. Dr. Paul K. Kearns is the 
Contracting Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE has evaluated, in accordance with 
Sec. 600.7 of the Federal Assistance Regulations, the proposal entitled 
``Phase 2 Plan for the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group'' submitted by UPVG. 
DOE recommends that the proposal for work continuation be accepted for 
support without further competition in accordance with Sec. 600.7 of 10 
CFR part 600.
    The project extension will be performed in ten tasks, with emphasis 
toward outreach to educate utility and other audiences and toward 
building a foundation for accelerated utility PV purchase commitments. 
The overall UPVG objective is the establishment of an accelerated 
market for PV systems that allows reduced PV costs through economy of 
scale. The program is intended to develop and disseminate PV 
information for utilities, prompt utility purchases, and develop a 
foundation for a multi-year PV hardware initiative.
    The programmatic evaluation [see 10 CFR 600.7(b)(2)(ii)(D)] 
completed for this proposal resulted in a recommendation to fund this 
grant application for the following reasons:

A. Overall Merit and Relevance to the DOE Mission

    DOe is actively pursuing a program towards solar energy conversion, 
with a major program objective being the cost-effective use of 
photovoltaics (PV) in utility applications. The UPVG activities 
directly support the DOE objectives by involving a large group of 
member electric utilities in the near-term implementation of large-
scale PV systems. The UPVG represents an ideal and totally unique 
mechanism to encourage the use of PV through DOE financial support of 
the large, unified group of interested utilities.

B. Anticipated Objectives and Probability of Success in Meeting 
Them

    The proposed activities continue a multi-year program at UPVG 
intended to result in the achievement of PV acceptance and use by 
electric utilities. The program involves several different tasks, with 
an overall objective being the installation of 50 MW of new utility PV 
generation capacity within 5 years.
    The current UPVG program includes ten overall tasks, each with 
multiple subtasks. The ten tasks include:

1. Technology Transfer and Member Development.
2. Commercialization Strategies.
3. Applications and Markets.
4. Planning and Evaluation.
5. Engineering and Demonstrations.
6. External Outreach and Coordination.
7. TEAM-UP Organization Development.
8. Initiate Small-Scale Applications.
9. Initiate Large-Scale Applications.
10. Management and Administration.

Each of these tasks is a required element of the overall program to 
develop a utility market for PV.
    The successful implementation of this project would result in:

1. Continued UPVG member utility involvement with PV technology.
2. Recruitment of additional utility members in UPVG.
3. PV information dissemination to utilities and other groups.
4. Refined market analysis and PV evaluation tools, such as a cost 
estimating guide and PV-SCREEN, for analysis of grid-connected PV 
systems.
5. Initiation of PV utility applications via large- and small-scale 
demonstrations.

    From the previous project phase, UPVG has developed a working 
relationship with its member utilities and has the expertise to recruit 
additional utility members. Most of the other tasks in this phase are 
also extensions of work previously begun by UPVG, such as information 
dissemination and PV market analysis. The techniques required for 
successful completion of the proposed tasks are available at UPVG and 
have already been demonstrated in the previous activities. Thus, the 
probability of success is high.

C. Quality of the Applicant's Personnel and Facilities

    The proposed efforts by UPVG do not require unique facilities or 
equipment.
    The team proposed by UPVG has significant experience in the 
development and deployment of PV systems, and should be capable of 
successfully implementing the proposed PV program. The team includes 
senior personnel from several different organizations, including 
private consultants with experience in utility projects, the Electric 
Power Research Institute, and several electric utilities. The UPVG 
Executive Director has significant experience in technology transfer 
and the management of associations since, in addition to UPVG, he also 
provides management and staff support to the Fuel Cell 
Commercialization Group, the National Hydrogen Association, and the 
Utility Biomass Energy Technology Association.
    In addition, a UPVG Board of Directors was previously established 
to assist in management, financial, technical, and other issues. The 
Board is composed of personnel from member utilities.

D. Appropriateness and Adequacy of the Proposed Budget

    The budget proposed for the anticipated work was reviewed and is 
considered to be appropriate and adequate. A total of $1,209,000 will 
be required for the program, with $1,000,000 provided by DOE for the 
period of February 15, 1994 to March 31, 1995. Cost sharing will be 
provided by UPVG in the amount of $209,000.
    The UPVG program represents a unique approach to achieving utility 
involvement with PV. The program has potential to result in near-term 
utility applications of PV technology and is consistent with DOE 
objectives. The proposed project is not eligible for financial 
assistance under a recent, current, or planned solicitation.
    Competition for the effort would have a significant adverse impact 
on the continuity and completion of the proposed activity. The UPVG is 
the only organization whose sole purpose is the advancement and 
development of cost-effective utility applications of PV. UPVG has 
established relationships with all the utility participants and has 
developed an understanding of the technical and management issues 
required for successful and timely accomplishment of program 
objectives. Therefore, recompetition would cause a time delay of 
numerous months in task completion and would require a significant 
duplication of costs to enable a new awardee to perform the proposed 
tasks.
John W. Meeker,
Chief, Procurement, GO.
[FR Doc. 94-14834 Filed 6-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M