[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 146 (Friday, July 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49968-49969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17986]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Call for U.S.-China Energy Performance Contracting Pilot Projects 
To Be Recognized at the 7th Annual U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of request for project submissions.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of a request for 
submission of innovative U.S.-China energy performance contracting 
(EPC) projects. EPC projects at public, commercial, and industrial 
facilities located in the U.S. or China with project participation from 
at least one U.S. entity and at least one Chinese entity are eligible. 
Eligible entities include energy service companies (ESCOs), technology 
providers, facility owners or operators, and financiers. EPC projects 
that meet the 2016 Pilot Project Criteria and demonstrate replicability 
will receive special recognition at the 7th Annual U.S.-China Energy 
Efficiency Forum in October 2016 in Beijing. Some recognition 
recipients will be invited to speak at a special breakout session.

DATES: Project submissions for consideration must be received by August 
22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Project submissions should be emailed in English and Chinese 
to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and ESCO Committee of 
China Energy Conservation Association at the email addresses provided 
below. ``The Pilot Project Criteria 2016'' and ``Appendix: Project 
Submission Template'' can be found on: http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/archived-research-areas/energy-efficiency-and-mitigation/epc/.
    Applicants must complete the Chinese and English project submission 
template and draft a proposed MOU. The proposed MOU should memorialize 
the cooperation of U.S. and Chinese entities applying as a team, set 
out their intention to do an EPC project(s); and include all minimum 
U.S.-China EPC Pilot Project Program requirements. Submit one email 
with project submission and proposed MOU as attachments to the 
following email addresses: [email protected], [email protected] and 
[email protected]. Failure to submit complete, bilingual project 
information may result in ineligibility.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Questions about the U.S.-China Energy Performance Contracting 
Initiative--Ms. Arlene Fetizanan, U.S. Department of Energy, 
[email protected] or (202) 586-3124.
    Questions about the energy performance contracting pilot project 
criteria and submission--Ms. Sha Yu, Pacific Northwest National 
Laboratory, [email protected] or (301) 314-6736.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: This call for EPC pilot projects is part of the Energy 
Efficiency in Buildings and Industry Initiative under the U.S.-China 
Climate Change Working Group (CCWG). The CCWG was launched in 2013, and 
now includes nine action initiatives for understanding and addressing 
climate change in the United States and China. Under the CCWG Energy 
Efficiency in Buildings and Industry Initiative, DOE and China's 
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) launched a program to 
promote EPC. The program aims to improve energy efficiency and reduce 
emissions in the U.S. and China through deep energy retrofits, using 
innovative financing where appropriate. The combined $20 billion U.S. 
and China EPC markets have the potential to grow dramatically, 
delivering significant environmental and economic benefits. For more 
information on U.S.-China EPC market trends and resources to assist 
clients, practitioners, and financial institutions in selecting, 
developing, and executing EPC projects, please visit: http://

[[Page 49969]]

www.globalchange.umd.edu/archived-research-areas/energy-efficiency-and-
mitigation/epc/.
    The U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum is an annual, invitation-
only event at which the two sides discuss energy efficiency issues and 
develop initiatives for further collaboration. Over 200 senior private 
sector, NGO, and government stakeholders attend. This is the second 
year that DOE and NDRC have issued a request for recognition of U.S.-
China EPC pilot projects at the Energy Efficiency Forum. In 2015, DOE 
and NDRC released their first call for U.S.-China EPC pilot project 
submissions for recognition. Three innovative pilot projects were 
recognized by senior U.S. and Chinese officials at the 6th Annual U.S.-
China Energy Efficiency Forum (http://energy.gov/eere/articles/win-win-opportunities-sixth-annual-us-china-energy-efficiency-forum), as well 
as at the 2016 U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
    Objective: This recognition program encourages U.S. and Chinese 
organizations to obtain real-world experience in each other's market 
using innovative, feasible business models alongside local 
practitioners. Recognized EPC projects will use integrated solutions to 
foster deep energy savings, demonstrating an optimal combination of 
project development and design, energy auditing, energy savings 
guarantees, third-party financing, contracting, and Measurement and 
Verification (M&V). For example, an innovative pilot project may 
consist of a bundle of short and long-payback measures for an 
attractive overall return on investment and deeper energy savings than 
shorter-payback measures, alone. The initiative aims to encourage as 
many noteworthy projects as practical in the public infrastructure, 
public and commercial buildings and industrial facilities sectors. All 
projects recognized should have participation from both Chinese and 
U.S. entities.
    The list of 2016 Pilot Project Criteria has been vetted by both DOE 
and NDRC (http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/data/epc/Pilot_Project_Opportunity_2016_ENG_CHN_final.pdf). Applicants must 
complete the Chinese and English project submission template and draft 
a proposed MOU. The proposed MOU should memorialize the cooperation of 
U.S. and Chinese entities applying as a team, set out their intention 
to do an EPC project(s); and include all minimum U.S.-China EPC Pilot 
Project Program requirements. In order to meet requirements, 
applications should describe the facility that will undergo a retrofit 
under an EPC and who the primary participants are. EPC pilot projects 
should include participation by both U.S. and Chinese stakeholders. The 
application should outline an integrated approach that will retrofit at 
least three systems and reduce energy consumption relative to baseline 
conditions. The EPC pilot project should utilize innovative financing, 
contracting and/or M&V and indicate how it is noteworthy relative to 
traditional EPCs in the market. Applicants agree to share project 
progress and data on energy savings quarterly. EPC pilot projects must 
start within nine months after signing the MOU. Refer to ``The Pilot 
Project Criteria 2016'' and ``Appendix: Project Submission Template'' 
in the link above for more requirement details. Failure to submit 
complete, bilingual project information may result in ineligibility.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 21, 2016.
Robert L. Sandoli,
Director of International Programs, Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2016-17986 Filed 7-28-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P