[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 91 (Monday, May 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25930-25931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12360]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Golden Field Office Notice of Solicitation for Financial 
Assistance Applications; Integrated Renewable/Hydrogen System

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation for Financial Assistance Applications 
Number DE-PS36-97GO10227.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), under authority of Section 
2026 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Public Law 102-486, and the 
Hydrogen Futures Act of 1996, Public Law 104-271, is interested in 
providing assistance for the development of renewable/hydrogen electric 
generation systems. The DOE will be requesting applications for 
industry to participate in cost-shared projects to integrate hydrogen 
production, storage, and utilization systems with electricity generated 
from existing or planned renewable sources. The goal of the 
solicitation is to provide DOE financial assistance for mid-term (5 to 
10 years) renewable hydrogen system applications which may lead to the 
installation of larger-scale, privately-funded integrated systems. The 
development of these integrated hydrogen technologies should address 
the significant technical issues associated with hydrogen production, 
storage, and utilization technologies. Technology development plans 
that address key development milestones, performance goals, and 
specific subsystem design objectives need to be provided. Associated 
issues of intermittency, dispatchability, reliability, life cycle 
costs, and system integration of the renewable energy generation source 
also need to be addressed. It is expected that these systems include 
stand-alone or distributed electricity generation, as well as energy 
storage subsystems, in a deregulated utility environment. Consideration 
of such facilities and systems for use in remote, island, and village 
power applications is encouraged.
    DOE will only make awards to recipients that are private-sector 
firms. The recipient can represent a consortium of entities. These 
consortia can include public entities, business partnerships, joint 
ventures, individual commercial firms, user groups (such as investor-
owned or municipal electric utilities), or other business relationships 
between such organizations as profit or non-profit corporations, 
educational institutions, etc. All respondents must propose to cost-
share at least 50% of the total project cost from non-federal

[[Page 25931]]

sources. Awards under this solicitation will be cooperative agreements, 
with a term of up to five years.
    The project should be conducted in two phases. Phase I will include 
the development of a detailed business plan, development of a 
conceptual system design, and performance of any required hydrogen 
technology validation/testing. A Go/No-Go decision will be conducted 
jointly by the applicant and DOE at the end of Phase I to determine the 
merits of proceeding to Phase II. If justified, the project will 
proceed to Phase II, which will include the construction, testing, and 
initial operation of the renewable hydrogen system.

AVAILABILITY OF THE SOLICITATION: It is anticipated that the 
solicitation will be issued in June, 1997, and will contain detailed 
information on funding, cost sharing requirements, eligibility, 
application preparation, DOE proposal evaluation criteria, and the 
proposal selection process for awards. Responses to the solicitation 
will be due 60 days after solicitation release. To obtain a copy of the 
solicitation once it is issued, submit a written request to the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, 
CO 80401, Attention: Mr. Matthew Barron, Contract Specialist. For 
convenience, requests for the solicitation may be faxed to Mr. Barron 
at (303) 275-4754. Solicitations may also be obtained electronically 
through the Golden Field Office Home Page at http://www.eren.doe.gov/
golden/solicit.htm, followed, within ten days, by written notification 
of receipt to Mr. Barron. All responsible sources may submit an 
application and all timely applications will be considered, subject to 
the limitations above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement is also intended to 
encourage owners and operators of existing or planned renewable energy 
generation facilities to consider submitting applications for 
integrating hydrogen systems with their facilities. It is expected that 
employment of these integrated systems will lead to many benefits, 
including operational and environmental advantages. Such systems are 
limited to electrolysis and generation system technologies including 
fuel cells or generator sets, and aqueous/non-aqueous reversible fuel 
cell technologies that can be integrated with hydrogen storage for 
load-leveling applications in conjunction with electricity buying and 
selling strategies.

    Issued in Golden, Colorado, on May 6, 1997.
John W. Meeker,
Chief, Procurement, GO.
[FR Doc. 97-12360 Filed 5-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P