[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5101-5103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2599]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


State Energy Program Special Projects Financial Assistance

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice for 2002 State Energy Program Special Projects.

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SUMMARY: As options offered under the State Energy Program (SEP) for 
fiscal year 2002, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 
of the Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing the availability of 
financial assistance to States for a group of special project 
activities. Funding is being provided by a number of sector programs in 
the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. States may apply 
to undertake any of the projects being offered by these programs. 
Financial assistance will be awarded to the States separately for each 
special project, with the activities to be carried out in conjunction 
with their efforts under SEP. The special projects funding and 
activities are

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tracked separately so that the sector programs may follow the progress 
of their projects.

DATES: The program announcement was issued on December 20, 2001. 
Applications must be received by March 15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The 2002 State Energy Program Special Projects Announcement 
contains complete information about this program and is available to 
view and/or access at the following Web site: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/state_energy/pdfs/special_projects_02.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For referral to the appropriate DOE 
Regional Office or State Office, you may contact Mr. Eric W. Thomas, 
(202) 586-2242, or Ms. Faith Lambert, (202) 586-2319, at the U.S. 
Department of Energy Headquarters, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The projects must meet the relevant 
requirements of the program providing the funding, as well as of SEP, 
as specified in the 2002 Special Projects Announcement. Among the goals 
of the special projects activities are to assist States to: accelerate 
deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies; 
facilitate the acceptance of emerging and underutilized energy 
efficiency and renewable energy technologies; and increase the 
responsiveness of Federally funded technology development efforts to 
private sector needs.
    Fiscal year 2002 is the seventh year special project activities 
have been funded in conjunction with the State Energy Program (10 CFR 
part 420). Most of these State-oriented special projects are related to 
or based on similar efforts that have been funded separately by the 
various DOE sector programs that are now providing funding for these 
optional SEP activities.

Availability of Fiscal Year 2002 Funds

    With this publication, DOE is announcing the availability of an 
estimated $18.5 million in financial assistance funds for fiscal year 
2002. The awards will be made through a competitive process. The sector 
programs that are participating in the SEP Special Projects for fiscal 
year 2002, with the estimated amount of funding available for each, are 
as follows:
     Clean Cities/Alternative Fuels: Accelerating the 
introduction and increasing the use of alternative fuels and 
alternative fuel vehicles through the development of infrastructure, 
niche markets, and clean corridors, and by promoting the use of 
advanced transportation technologies ($4,500,000)
     Industrial Technologies: Implementing Industries of the 
Future at the State level by building partnerships among State 
government agencies, industry, universities and research institutions: 
to develop new technologies tied to Industries of the Future road maps 
and visions; and to utilize best practices which can improve energy 
efficiency, environmental performance and productivity ($3,000,000).
     Codes and Standards: Supporting States' actions to update, 
implement, and enforce residential and commercial building energy codes 
($1,800,000).
     Rebuild America: Helping community and regional 
partnerships achieve their objectives through energy efficiency and 
energy technology solutions in buildings for K-12 schools, colleges/
universities, state/local governments, commercial and multifamily 
housing ($2,500,000).
     Building America: Applying systems engineering approaches 
to the development of advanced residential buildings, including 
production techniques, products, and technologies that result in higher 
quality, energy-efficient housing. ($300,000)
     Federal Energy Management Program: Working to reduce the 
cost and environmental impact of government by advancing energy 
efficiency and water conservation, promoting the use of distributed and 
renewable energy, and improving utility management decisions at Federal 
sites. ($500,000)
     Uninterrupted Power Source (UPS): Collaborating with the 
States and Territories in the siting and development of hydrogen fuel 
cells of 1 to 5 kilowatts in size to better understand the performance, 
maintenance, operation, and economic viability of these systems as 
uninterruptable power source systems. ($200,000)
     Power Park: Determining if the Power Park concept of 
hydrogen production from natural gas or municipal solid waste reforming 
(continental U.S.) or renewable resources for islands, villages, and 
remote areas is economically viable as a clean technology that can co-
produce hydrogen fuel for stationary hydrogen fuel cells and 
reciprocating engines for hydrogen fuel cell cars. ($450,000)
     Hydrogen Compressors, Storage, and Dispensers: Testing the 
ability of a hydrogen generation system to fuel buses and/or light and 
heavy duty vehicle storage tanks. ($350,000)
     Solar Powered Security: Developing photovoltaic-powered 
application hardware for protecting our power delivery systems (e.g. 
pipelines, and national grid). ($200,000)
     Solar Schools Demonstration and Educational Outreach: 
Incorporating new solar energy generation into the schools energy mix 
and incorporating learning about solar and renewables into the State 
educational curriculum for schools. ($300,000)
     Zero Energy Homes: Designing, building and/or showcasing 
one or more currently marketable Zero Energy Homes in conjunction with 
local partners such as homebuilders, universities, and utilities. 
($200,000)
     Million Solar Roofs Initiative--Small Grant Program for 
State Partnerships: Assisting the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSR) 
State Partnerships in developing and implementing programs to further 
the use of solar energy on buildings. ($500,000)
     State Wind Energy Support: Proposals from States are 
sought for (1) wind resource assessment efforts to enable producing 
more accurate and detailed state wind maps, (2) wind resource data 
collection using existing tall towers (100 meters or taller preferred), 
and (3) activities to overcome barriers to use of small wind systems. 
($770,000)
     Distributed Energy Resources Electrical Interconnection: 
Developing education and/or training materials (video tapes with hard 
copy manuals), on the process of interconnecting new Distributed 
Generation systems with the electrical grid (distribution and 
transmission levels), and permitting such installations. ($55,000)
     Distributed Energy Resources Technologies: Undertaking 
distributed generation projects that will support Regional and/or State 
restructuring activities as well as accelerating the installation of 
new distributed generation facilities. ($1,240,000)
     Superconductivity Program Information Dissemination and 
Outreach Activities to State Agencies: Encouraging activities to 
broaden the national effort and deliver the accomplishments of the 
Superconductivity Program to the State and local level. ($435,000)
     State Geothermal Energy Support: Proposals from States are 
sought for (1) projects that involve case studies of the benefits and 
costs of deployment of geothermal direct use or electric generation 
projects in the Western U.S.; (2) projects that involve providing 
public access to information about geothermal energy resources,

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technologies, and economics, and (3) projects that involve the creation 
of expert teams to conduct ``trade missions'' designed to inform 
community leaders of the potential for geothermal development in their 
area of the state. ($475,000)
     Energy Storage for Transmission Congestion Relief, Price 
Response, and System Security: Evaluating the feasibility and potential 
economic advantages of deferring power transmission system upgrades and 
relieving transmission congestion using modern electricity storage 
technologies. ($125,000)
     Biofuels for Power Generation: Assessing the feasibility 
of site-specific power projects using biofuels and/or implementing 
actual site-specific biopower projects. ($600,000)

Restricted Eligibility

    Eligible applicants for purposes of funding under this program are 
limited to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 
any territory or possession of the United States, specifically, the 
State energy or other agency responsible for administering the State 
Energy Program pursuant to 10 CFR part 420. For convenience, the term 
State in this notice refers to all eligible State applicants. The 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to the State 
Energy Program Special Projects is 81.119. Requirements for cost 
sharing contributions are addressed in the December 20, 2001 program 
announcement for each special project activity, as appropriate. (See 
http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/state_energy/pdfs/special_projects_02.pdf). Cost sharing contributions beyond any 
required percentage are desirable. Any application must be signed by an 
authorized State official, in accordance with the program announcement.

Evaluation Review and Criteria

    A first tier review for completeness will occur at the appropriate 
DOE Regional Office. Applications found to be complete will undergo a 
merit review process by panels comprised of members representing the 
participating end-use sector programs in DOE's Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The end-use sector offices select 
projects for funding. The Office of Building Technology Assistance then 
recommends project allocations to the Assistant Secretary for Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy for final determination. DOE reserves 
the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the 
applications submitted in response to this notice.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2002.
David K. Garman,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 02-2599 Filed 2-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P