[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4972-4973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2876]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 96-05; 
Research for Improving Vehicular Transportation and Reducing Energy 
Consumption and Pollution From Manufacturing Processes

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces 
interest in receiving grant applications for performance of basic and 
applied research to support two important, long-term national 
objectives: (1) Improving vehicular transportation, and (2) reducing 
energy consumption and pollution from energy and pollution intensive 
manufacturing processes. Within the DOE, the Office of Energy Research 
interests are in support of basic research and the Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy interests are in support of applied 
research. Each component within the Department of Energy will use its 
own funding authorities and appropriations to administer funding in 
support of this project.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 96-05, 
should be received by DOE by 4:30 p.m. e.s.t., March 1, 1996. A 
response discussing the potential program relevance of a formal 
application generally will be communicated to the applicant within 30 
days of receipt. The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 
4:30 p.m., e.d.t., May 1, 1996, to be accepted for merit review and to 
permit timely consideration for award in fiscal year 1996.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 96-05, 
should be sent to Dr. Walter M. Polansky, Office of Computational and 
Technology Research, ER-33 (GTN), Office of Energy Research, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
    After receiving notification concerning successful preapplications, 
applicants may prepare formal applications and send them to: U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, Grants and Contracts 
Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 20874-
1290, Attn: Program Notice 96-05. The above address for formal 
applications must be used when submitting formal applications by U.S. 
Postal Service Express Mail, any commercial mail delivery service, or 
when hand carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Walter M. Polansky, Office of 
Computational and Technology Research, ER-33 (GTN), Office of Energy 
Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
MD 20874-1290, (301) 903-5995.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE encourages submission of applications to 
conduct high-quality research on the fundamental issues that will 
underpin future vehicular technologies and conversion of energy and 
pollution intensive industrial processes to more environmentally sound 
and energy efficient processes. Applications received by DOE under 
their normal competitive application mechanisms may also be deemed 
appropriate for consideration under this announcement and may be funded 
under this program. It is anticipated that the results of the 

[[Page 4973]]
research will be published in the peer-reviewed, archival scientific 
literature.

Vehicular Transportation

    Basic research in vehicle transportation technologies will be 
needed to move beyond immediate regulatory and technology goals to meet 
future demands for conserving natural resources, for safety, and for 
minimizing adverse environmental consequences. In a workshop held in 
January, 1995, and jointly sponsored by NSF and DOE, basic research 
needs for future vehicular technologies were identified and discussed. 
Areas of frontier research of particular interest to NSF are, for 
example, modeling and simulation of energy processes, fundamental 
understanding of surfaces and interfaces, relevant nano-science, energy 
relevant new materials, advances in sensors and control methodology, 
and understanding catalytic and electrochemical processes.
    Copies of the workshop report entitled ``Basic Research Needs for 
Vehicles of the Future'' can be found on the Office of Basic Energy 
Sciences World Wide Web pages at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/
bes.html

Reducing Energy Consumption and Pollution From Energy and Pollution 
Intensive Manufacturing Processes

    It is widely recognized that a critical and pervasive issue for the 
21st Century will be the balancing of industrial activity and 
environmental stewardship, and that more knowledge is needed to make 
effective choices to achieve that balance. There are seven industries 
that consume 80 percent of the energy and produce over 90 percent of 
the wastes in the manufacturing sector; these seven industries are: 
chemicals, petroleum refining, forest products, steel, aluminum, glass, 
and metal casting.
    Identification and clarification of specific areas where new 
knowledge is needed to address, in the longer term, industry-related 
environmental issues occurred through a joint DOE and NSF-sponsored 
workshop held in New Orleans January 4-6, 1996. The workshop consisted 
of two parts. In the first part, issues specific to the automotive, 
chemical, energy, electronics, and metals industries were considered. 
In the second part, general crosscutting issues such as sensors; 
monitoring and controls; manufacturing and processing; health; 
ecological and environmental impacts, including bioprocessing during 
manufacturing; life cycle and risk analysis (integrated assessment); 
resource management; recovery; renewables; and the underlying 
environmental chemistry issues were covered. Applications in these 
crosscutting areas received under additional solicitations from the 
Office of Energy Research may be considered under this program.
    Further information on the NSF/DOE workshop can by obtained by 
consulting the material on the Office of Basic Energy Sciences World 
Wide Web pages at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/bes.html
    Recommendations taken from efforts conducted by the Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE/RE) of the Department of 
Energy, will also be used to appropriately direct applications. EE/RE 
is interested in research that is directed towards near term results, 
particularly with regard to reduced energy consumption and reduced 
waste production in the steel, aluminum, forest products, glass, metal 
casting, chemicals, and petroleum refining industries. Those wishing to 
address applied problems in these industries may contact Harvey C. Wong 
of the Office of Industrial Technologies, EE-20, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Washington, DC 20585; 202-586-9235 for further information, or 
by consulting the material on the World Wide Web at: http://
www.nrel.gov/oit/documents/technology.html

Information Regarding Applications for Assistance

    To strengthen the probability that proposed research will 
contribute in the future to improved technologies and processes, 
applicants are encouraged to develop working collaborations with 
appropriate and relevant industries. Applications involving industrial 
collaboration will receive preference over applications of equal 
scientific merit but lacking such collaboration. All formal 
applications will receive peer review by members of the scientific 
community at large. In addition, applications considered for funding by 
DOE will be reviewed for relevance to the missions of the Department 
and its technology programs.
    To minimize undue effort on the part of applicants and reviewers, 
interested parties are invited and encouraged to submit 
preapplications. Applicants submitting preapplications demonstrating 
the greatest likelihood of success in competition will be encouraged to 
submit formal applications for research grants. The brief 
preapplication, in accordance with 10 CFR 600.10(d)(2), should consist 
of two to three pages of narrative describing the research objectives 
and methods of accomplishment. The preapplications will be reviewed 
relative to the scope and research needs identified by DOE and NSF 
through workshops and other means. Telephone and FAX numbers are 
required parts of the preapplication, and electronic mail addresses are 
desirable.
    In Fiscal Year 1996, it is anticipated that approximately 
$2,000,000 from DOE will be available for grants for research related 
to automotive technologies and approximately $5,000,000 from DOE will 
be available for research related to reducing energy and pollution. 
Multiple-year funding of grant awards is expected and is also 
contingent upon the availability of funds. These are new programs and, 
therefore, there are no previous applicable award sizes. However, 
awards sizes in similar programs at DOE range from $50,000 to $250,000 
with terms from one to three years. Renewal of the award for another 
term will be dependent upon success factors such as publications and 
peer-review of the renewal application.
    The number of awards and the range of funding will depend on the 
number of applications received and selected for award. Information 
about the development, submission, and the selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR Part 605, and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research Financial 
Assistance Program. The Application Guide is available from the Office 
of Computational and Technology Research, ER-33 (GTN), Office of Energy 
Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
MD 20874-1290. Telephone requests may be made by calling (301) 903-
5995. Electronic access to ER's Financial Assistance Guide is possible 
via the Internet using the following E-mail address: http://
www.er.doe.gov/
 The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR Part 
605.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 29, 1996.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research
[FR Doc. 96-2876 Filed 2-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P