[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 112 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36677-36679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14591]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Solicitation for Financial Assistance Applications for 
Cooperative Research and Development for Advanced Natural Gas 
Reciprocating Engines

AGENCY: Chicago Operations Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces its interest in 
receiving applications for federal assistance for research and 
development of Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines. Development, 
subsystem testing, and demonstration of optimized and fully integrated 
components for advanced natural gas engines must be performed.

DATES: The solicitation document is available on the Internet. The due 
date for applications is July 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The solicitation is available on the Internet by accessing 
the DOE Chicago Operations Office Acquisition and Assistance Group home 
page at http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/acq.html under the heading 
``Current Solicitations'', Solicitation No. DE-SC02-00CH11029. 
Completed applications referencing Solicitation No. DE-SC02-00CH11029 
must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy, Chicago Operations 
Office, Communications Center, Building 201, Room 168, 9800 South Cass 
Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-4899, Attn: Nadine S. Kijak, Acquisition and 
Assistance Group.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nadine S. Kijak at 630/252-2508, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Chicago Operations Office, Acquisition and 
Assistance Group, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-4899, by 
facsimile at 630/252-5045, or by electronic mail at 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For purposes of this solicitation, an 
Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine is a new or upgraded internal 
combustion reciprocating piston engine that deploys one or more 
technologies that partially or totally accomplish the following goals 
for higher energy efficiency (ultimate program target goal of 50%), 
lower emissions (NOX less than .1g/hp-hr), and increased 
competitiveness. The fully-developed, demonstrated Advanced Natural Gas 
Reciprocating Engine would accomplish the following objectives:
    1. Improve the performance of Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating 
Engines. Potential benefits to energy consumers include: (1) Decreased 
energy consumption and emissions; (2) increased manufacturing process 
efficiencies; (3) enhanced U.S. industrial competitiveness; (4) 
decreased reliance on strategic materials; and (5) reduced operational 
and maintenance costs. Other projected benefits may include longer 
operating time before maintenance and overhaul, utilization of waste 
fuels, etc.
    2. Transition the technology to back-up fuels as well as 
alternative biomass-derived fuels, while achieving a substantial 
reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emissions for these 
fuels, and decrease in energy consumption.
    3. Demonstrate the durability for up to 8000 hours while otherwise 
maintaining reliability, availability, and maintainability of the 
Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine and its component subsystems.
    4. Incur no negative impacts on the performance of gas engines 
including efficiency, fuel flexibility, cost of power, and reliability 
and maintainability.
    5. Encourage adoption and use of energy-efficient, cost-effective 
natural gas engines by the distributed generation markets.
    The Scope of Work covers applied research and pre-commercial 
demonstration in five work areas as described below as Tasks 1, 2, 3, 4 
and 5. In addition to these tasks, the Scope of Work includes Subtasks 
A and B. Subtask A will require the Participant to provide a report 
covering the potential technical market and technical/economic 
barriers. Subtask B will require the Participant to provide a 
commercialization plan for Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines.
    The tasks represent an increasing progression of maturation stages 
for technology development. Task 1 involves component development and 
testing; Task 2 involves system development and testing; Task 3 
involves engine integration and preparation; Task 4 involves engine 
system fabrication and proof test, and Task 5 involves pre-commercial 
demonstration. Depending on current maturation of proposed 
technologies, the work may start at any task if prior work has been 
performed that would satisfy completion or sufficient progress of the 
previous task(s). Applications may address any combination or portions 
of the tasks.
    The ultimate maturation of technologies will be reached upon the 
attainment of the solicitation objectives

[[Page 36678]]

in a pre-commercial demonstration of 8000 hours (Task 5). Although it 
is the intention of this solicitation to support development of 
advanced engine technologies that will so culminate, there also is 
relevancy in gaining a better understanding of the advanced engine 
technologies and their impact on natural gas engines. In such a case, 
development of a completed commercial system may not be feasible. For 
example, development may end prior to the maturation state of Task 5, 
or Task 5 may be scheduled to complete less than the 8000 hours (but 
more than 4000 hours as discussed below) identified as a goal for 
commercialization.
    Regardless of the tasks proposed, applications will raise the 
maturation level of the concept relative to the solicitation 
objectives.
    Under Tasks 1 and 2 that follow, the work may be performed with 
respect to test devices or engines that could serve as a logical and 
cost effective intermediate basis for developing technologies for 
Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines. However, any such 
technology developed under Tasks 1 and 2 must have applicability to 
Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines.
    Under Tasks 3, 4 and 5 that follow, all work must be performed with 
respect to Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines, and the 
demonstration required under Task 5 must be performed on an Advanced 
Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines. All work proposed to be performed 
under an application must be scheduled for completion within the five-
year life expectancy of this program. Work under all tasks requires the 
participation of a natural gas engine manufacturer.

Task 1

    The starting point of this task shall be, as a minimum, a concept 
of an advanced engine technology with prior experimental evidence of 
its potential for meeting the solicitation objectives. The Participant 
will identify the form, function, and fit of all components necessary 
to execute the proposed technology. The Participant will also develop 
preliminary component designs. First article components will be 
constructed and tested at a scale suitable to confirm the design 
parameters that were used and to give qualitative and quantitative 
indications that the components will perform as planned.

Task 2

    The Participant will complete detailed designs of the selected 
system components. The design process will include the optimization and 
cost reduction of the processing, fabrication, and integration of the 
selected components into a viable engine system. The components will be 
manufactured and the sub-system will be assembled. Development and 
testing will be done to verify and optimize the overall approach, to 
provide operating and control parameters during manufacture and use, 
and to provide full-scale definition such as allowable engine operating 
ranges, sensitivity to fuel variability, and other factors affecting 
the performance and competitiveness of the engine system.

Task 3

    The design of an Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine will be 
adapted in parallel to component development to assure compatibility, 
optimum fit, and functionality. The work under this task will integrate 
hardware, controls, and operating procedures for startup, steady 
operation over the engine's usual power range (for example 50% to 100% 
of rated output), planned changes (such as anticipated shutdown or 
transitions of operating load), and unexpected changes in power output 
(such as lost load).

Task 4

    The Participant shall design and fabricate a complete engine system 
that utilizes the components developed under Task 2 or elsewhere. The 
components shall exhibit the form, function, and fit compatible with 
the modified engine developed either under Task 3 or elsewhere. The 
Participant shall prove, either by subsystem rig testing or by 
demonstrating on an engine, the ability of the subsystem components to 
perform as planned. Such testing shall include those sensors and 
controllers needed to maintain testing over the design operating range 
of the engine. Test results shall include relationships among 
performance, efficiency, emissions, temperatures, and all other 
relevant parameters that quantify and qualify the system for commercial 
delivery. The proof testing shall be based on natural gas fuel or any 
other fuel with a viable market presence in the distributed generation 
market such as waste fuels and biomass. Also, the market may require 
dual fuel capabilities. Such dual fuel capabilities may be considered 
in the design.
    The completion of Task 4 would result in the assembly of an 
Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine that incorporates components 
completed under this task or elsewhere. The engine shall be ready for 
insertion into a commercial package that is suitable for shipment, 
installation, and demonstration in the field under Task 5.

Task 5

    A host site(s) will be selected for demonstration of the Advanced 
Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine qualified either by the completion of 
Task 4 or elsewhere. The Participant will integrate the engine with the 
balance of plant equipment such as a generator that is compatible with 
the needs of a specific host site(s). The completion of Task 5 would 
result in an 8000-hour demonstration of the engine that can be 
reasonably expected to meet project objectives. At a minimum, the 
demonstration shall comprise 4000 hours of operation with natural gas 
fuel at a host site that is compatible with an operating rate of at 
least 4000 hours per annum. The applicant shall complete a coordinated 
plan for the demonstration that incorporates the perspectives of all 
relevant parties, including the host site. The plan will also assign 
responsibilities on all matters necessary to execute the demonstration 
plan, such as business arrangements, balance of plant equipment, site 
construction, site integration, periodic inspections of hardware, 
visitations of third parties, data acquisition at the host site to 
verify expected benefits, and obtainment of environmental, 
construction, operating, and other permits.
    The demonstration shall be representative of significant market 
segments of the distributed power generation industry. As a result, the 
successful demonstration at the host site will be expected to exemplify 
the resolution of the typical barriers (such as technical, 
environmental, industry acceptance, and utility grid control issues) 
that impede the widespread adoption of distributed generation. In this 
regard, all hours of operation accumulated under the demonstration 
shall be gained while generating electric power. Additionally, all such 
hours of operation shall be accumulated while the host site is 
interconnected to the existing local utility transmission and 
distribution grid that exists for the routine transmission and 
distribution of electric power. Accordingly, the balance of plant 
equipment shall be sufficient to generate and condition such electric 
power, and all hardware shall be provided for interconnection, 
transmission, and distribution on the local utility grid. (The sole use 
of isolation switches shall not be sufficient to meet this 
requirement.)

[[Page 36679]]

Subtask A

    Subtask A is required for any applicant selected for award and is 
to be performed in conjunction with the lowest numbered task proposed. 
The completed report must be received within 90 days of award of the 
cooperative agreement and will be submitted in accordance with topical 
report requirements. Relative to gas engine(s), the Participant will do 
program definition and planning studies that identify all essential 
steps for enabling the use of an Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating 
Engine and meeting the objectives of this solicitation. The elements of 
these steps will include the critical research and development needs, 
areas and degree of risk, types and quantities of resources, schedule, 
and cost.
    The report will further define completed distributed energy 
resource and/or cooling, heating and power systems likely to be 
available at the successful completion of this project. The Participant 
will identify and quantify the potential technical markets for such 
systems. In areas such as energy efficiency, performance, cost, and 
emissions, the Participant will provide detailed rationale that 
supports these projections. All barriers such as the lack of uniform 
code standards that will impact on the technical market will be 
identified. However, any such barriers that are out of the control of 
the Participant shall be deemed not to impact on the projected 
technical market.

Subtask B

    Subtask B is required to be performed in conjunction with the 
lowest numbered task of Tasks 3, 4, and/or 5 under which the 
Participant will do work. The completed report must be received within 
180 days of initiation of the lowest numbered Task (3-5) proposed. This 
report will be submitted in accordance with topical report 
requirements.
    The main impetus for this work is the commercial implementation of 
an efficient, clean, and cost effective Advanced Natural Gas 
Reciprocating Engine that is deployed in distributed generation and 
combined heat and power systems. It is essential that a 
commercialization plan support the proposed Advanced Natural Gas 
Reciprocating Engine and achieves the goals of this solicitation 
(Section 1.1.2). Participants doing work under Tasks 3, 4, or 5 shall 
complete commercialization plans and strategies for all relevant 
functions in the commercialization process such as cost-effective 
manufacturing, marketing, production volumes, and support for the 
Participant's engine system.
    DOE expects to award three (3) to five (5) cooperative agreements 
under this solicitation. It is estimated that individual awards will 
range in value between approximately $500,000 and $10,000,000 of DOE 
funding and will require awardee Cost Sharing.
    A minimum non-federal cost sharing commitment of 30% of the total 
proposed costs for Tasks 1 or 2; 45% of Tasks 3 and 4; and 60% of Task 
5 is required. Any non-profit or for-profit organization, university or 
other institution of higher education, or non-federal agency or entity 
is eligible to apply, unless otherwise restricted by the Simpson-Craig 
Amendment. DOE Laboratory participation as a subcontractor is limited 
to no more than 50% of the cost of any individual task under which the 
laboratory participates. This amount is further limited to 40% if 
laboratory participation is proposed under Task 5.
    As applicants may apply under one or more of the five tasks within 
the solicitation Scope of Work, there is a range in the number of 
potential awards and award values.
    Estimated DOE funding is $40 million over the five-year period. DOE 
reserves the right to fund any, all, or none of the applications 
submitted in response to this solicitation. All awards are subject to 
the availability of funds.

    Issued in Argonne, Illinois on June 1, 2000.
John D. Greenwood,
Acquisition and Assistance Group Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-14591 Filed 6-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P