[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
