[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18392-18393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9955]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Intent to Solicit Inventions and Innovation Program Grants
AGENCY: The Department of Energy (DOE), Golden Field Office.
ACTION: Notice of intent to issue a solicitation.
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SUMMARY: The DOE's Office of Industrial Technologies (DOE) is funding a
competitive grant program entitled the Inventions and Innovation (I&I)
Program. The goals of the I&I Program are to improve energy efficiency
through the promotion of innovative ideas and inventions that have a
significant potential energy impact and a potential future commercial
market. These goals are consistent with the mission of the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which is to develop and promote
the adoption of cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency
technologies within the building, industrial, transportation, and
utility sectors for the benefit of economic competitiveness, energy
security, and environmental quality of the nation. The following focus
industries, which are the dominant energy users and waste generators in
the U.S. manufacturing sector, are of particular interest to the DOE
program: Aluminum, Chemicals, Forest Products, Glass, Metal-Casting,
and Steel.
DATES: DOE expects to issue the solicitation on or about May 1, 1998.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the solicitation, eligible parties may
write to the U.S. Department of Energy Golden Field Office, Attention:
Jennifer Squire, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401, or obtain
an electronic copy through the Golden Field Office Home Page at http://
www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicit.htm beginning May 1, 1998.
Only written request for the solicitation will be honored. For
convenience, requests for the solicitation may be faxed to Ms. Squire
at (303) 275-4788.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE has revised the process of financial
assistance under the I&I Program. Formerly the program had two distinct
programs: The Energy-Related Inventions Program (ERIP) and the
Innovative Concepts Program (InnCon). Proposals for each program were
submitted through an unsolicited application process to DOE through the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, formerly the National
Bureau of Standards for ERIP and directly to DOE/OIT for InnCon. DOE is
now combining these two programs under one competitive solicitation
process. DOE intends to issue a new solicitation annually. The Golden
Field Office has been assigned the responsibility to issue the
solicitation and administer the awards for OIT. Ideas that have a
significant energy savings impact and future commercial market
potential are chosen for financial support through the competitive
solicitation process. The new I&I Program will provide financial
assistance at two levels, up to $40,000 or up to $100,000 depending on
the stage of development of an idea. In addition to financial
assistance this program offers technical guidance and commercialization
support to successful applicants.
Some former selected projects that the I&I Program has funded are:
(1) Thermefficient 100r--a high efficiency fired heater
that extracts heat from exhaust gases to raise the temperature of
incoming water to be heated. The thermal efficiency of the technology
is nearly 100% and reduces fossil fuel use.
(2) Brandon Rings--prevent damage and energy loss that occur over
time with start-up, thermal distortion, and shaft vibration in
turbines. These have been used in commercial turbine systems in the
U.S. saving over 110 trillion BTU since 1986.
(3) Electro-Optic Inspection of Heat Exchangers--is a laser based,
nondestructive evaluation system for
[[Page 18393]]
inspecting heat exchanger tubing for internal corrosion, erosion, scale
buildup, and deformation. The benefits are reduced downtime and
increased efficiency for fossil and nuclear power plants, pulp and
paper, and petro-chemical plants.
Solicitation Specifics
There are no restrictions, however, small businesses, individual
inventors, and entrepreneurs are especially encouraged to participate.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to this
program is 81.036. Cost sharing is not required but encouraged by
applicants and/or cooperating participants. In addition to direct
financial contributions, cost sharing can include beneficial services
or items such as manpower equipment, consultants, and computer time
that are allowable in accordance with applicable cost principles.
Availability of Funds in Fy 1999
With publication, DOE is announcing the availability of up to $3
million dollars in grant agreement funds for fiscal year 1999. The
awards will be made through a competitive process. Each award may cover
a project period of up to two (2) years. DOE anticipates awarding
grants at two levels. The first level will fund up to $40,000 for
Category 1 proposals, which fall within the first two stages of
development. The second level will fund up to $100,000 for Category 2
proposals, which fall within the last three stages of development.
Refer to Appendix 1 of the Solicitation for definitions. DOE reserves
the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the
proposals submitted in response to this notice.
Issued in Golden, CO, on April 8, 1998.
John W. Meeker,
Chief, Procurement, Golden Field.
[FR Doc. 98-9955 Filed 4-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
