[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43114-43116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20552]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Initial H-Prize Competition for Breakthrough Advances in 
Materials for Hydrogen Storage

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

ACTION: Notice of Initial H-Prize Competition for Breakthrough Advances 
in Materials for Hydrogen Storage (``H-Prize Competition'').

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SUMMARY: As authorized in Section 654 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007, DOE is announcing the Initial H-Prize Competition 
which will be a single award for $1 million in the subject area of 
advanced materials for hydrogen storage--a critical challenge to enable 
widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. 
Evaluation of entries will begin approximately 15 months after the date 
this announcement appears in the Federal Register (FR). A single prize 
of $1 million will be awarded, unless no entries are significant enough 
to merit an award. The essential elements of the H-Prize Competition 
are included in this announcement; further updates and answers to 
questions asked by participants will be available on a public Web site, 
http://hydrogenprize.org, and through future FR notices as required. We 
encourage prospective participants to visit the Web site, as it will be 
updated periodically.

DATES: 
    <bullet> February 15, 2010: Deadline for Registration and 
Eligibility Documentation.
    <bullet> November 15, 2010: Deadline for submittal of material 
samples for testing.
    <bullet> Dec 2010/Jan 2011: Sample testing by an independent third 
party laboratory.
    <bullet> Dec 2010/Jan 2011: Panel of Judges reviews and evaluates 
the independent third party testing data.
    <bullet> February 2011: Award of $1 million prize, if the Panel of 
Judges determines that there is a winning entry.

ADDRESSES: Questions may be submitted through http://hydrogenprize.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical Information: Dr. Ned 
Stetson, Technology Development Manager, Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells 
and Infrastructure Technologies; EE-2H; 1000 Independence Ave., SE., 
Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586-9995. More information on DOE's 
hydrogen storage program, targets and current research information can 
be found at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/storage/.
    Prize contest: Jeffrey Serfass, Project Director, Hydrogen 
Education Foundation, 1211 Connecticut Ave., NW.; Suite 600; 
Washington, DC 20036-2701; (202) 223-5547. The HEF H-Prize Web site is 
http://hydrogenprize.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The H-Prize is authorized by Section 654 of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007, Public Law 110-140, as an 
amendment to Sec. 1008 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 
109-58. Under Section 654, the Secretary of Energy is authorized to 
carry out a program to competitively award cash prizes to advance the 
research, development, demonstration and commercial application of 
hydrogen energy technologies. The purpose is to accelerate the 
development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies by offering prizes 
to motivate and reward outstanding scientific and engineering 
advancements. The mobilization of private funding, in concert with a 
core

[[Page 43115]]

of Federal and other public funding, is at the heart of the H-Prize 
concept. This broadens the base of investment in incentivizing notable 
scientific and engineering breakthroughs, while elevating their 
significance with the public, and builds on DOE's steady achievements 
in research, development and demonstration. The H-Prize is administered 
by the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) for the Department of 
Energy.
    DOE is developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for multiple 
applications, including the transportation sector where the largest 
benefits in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and oil use are 
likely. Hydrogen storage is one of the challenging critical barriers to 
the widespread market penetration of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. 
Techniques and materials are needed to store hydrogen on-board a 
vehicle while meeting consumer expectations for driving range, 
performance, and refueling time without compromising safety or payload.

I. Subject of the Competition

    The initial H-Prize is to be awarded for demonstrated advancements 
in developing an on-board hydrogen storage material for light-duty 
vehicles that meets or exceeds a specified set of verifiable 
performance targets (http://hydrogenprize.org) as ascertained by an 
independent Panel of Judges to be selected by DOE in consultation with 
HEF. Note that the H-Prize is for a material only, not a complete on-
board system.

II. Duration of the Competition

    The H-Prize Competition begins with this Notice and is anticipated 
to end in approximately February 2011, when the Panel of Judges 
determines whether there is a winning entry. (See also, ``Key Dates'' 
section of this Notice).

III. Eligibility

    This H-Prize Competition is open to participants, defined as 
individuals, entities or teams, that meet the following requirements:
    1. Comply with all Registration and H-Prize Competition Rules and 
Requirements;
    2. In the case of an entity: be organized or incorporated in the 
United States, and maintain for the duration of the H-Prize Competition 
a primary place of business in the United States;
    3. In the case of all individuals (whether participating singly or 
as part of an entity or team): be a citizen of, or an alien lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence into, the United States as of the date 
of Registration in the H-Prize Competition and maintain that status for 
the duration of the H-Prize Competition;
    4. In the case of U.S. Citizens: provide proof of U.S. Citizenship 
with Registration, as follows:
    a. Notarized copy of U.S. Passport, or
    b. Notarized copies of both a current U.S. driver's license issued 
from one of the 50 States or a U.S. Territory and a birth certificate;
    5. In the case of aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence 
in the United States: Provide notarized copy of Permanent Resident Card 
(Form 1-551) (green card) with Registration;
    6. In the case of entities: Provide a copy of the entity formation 
documentation (e.g. Articles of Incorporation) showing the place of 
formation, as well as a self-certification of the primary place of 
business;
    7. The participant, or any member of a participant, shall not be a 
Federal entity, a Federal employee acting within the scope of his or 
her employment, or an employee of a National Laboratory acting within 
the scope of his or her employment;
    8. The participant, or any member of a participant, cannot have 
received Federal funding for research and development of hydrogen 
storage materials since October 2008;
    9. Provide a statement attesting to the participant's use of 
government funding as part of the Registration documentation;
    10. Sign a waiver of claims against the Federal Government and the 
HEF. See 42 U.S.C. 16396(f)(5)(A);
    11. Obtain liability insurance, or satisfactorily demonstrate 
financial responsibility pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 16396(f)(5)(B)(i);
    12. Name the Federal Government as an additional insured under the 
Registered participants' insurance policy and agree to indemnify the 
Federal Government against third party claims pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
16396(f)(5)(B)(ii);
    13. Teams and Entities:
    a. Teams may be comprised of any combination of individuals or 
entities;
    b. Each team or entity will designate a team leader who will be the 
sole point of contact with H-Prize Competition officials;
    c. Team or entity members will be identified at the time of 
Registration on the team roster. Team members may be on only one team 
roster;
    d. Changes to team rosters will be allowed up to 72 hours prior to 
the award presentation, provided citizenship and immigration 
requirements are met;
    14. The winner must be present at the award presentation in order 
to win the H-Prize. If a team or entity is the winner, only the team 
leader must be present;
    15. An individual cannot participate on more than one team or 
compete with multiple entries; and
    16. Participants cannot be on more than one team or compete with 
multiple entries.

IV. Registration Process, Competition Schedule, Amount of Prize and 
Intellectual Property

    Registration process. Registration, along with all required 
eligibility documentation, must be completed through the Web site 
http://hydrogenprize.org no later than February 15, 2010.
    H-Prize competition schedule. After announcement in the Federal 
Register, prospective participants have until February 15, 2010, to 
register and certify their teams or individuals. Once registered, they 
will receive all notices and rules updates, including answers to 
questions asked by the participants. The public Web site, http://hydrogenprize.org, will also post this same information, including 
publicity about various teams and sponsors. We encourage participants 
to utilize the Web site as a means of highlighting any information they 
would like to convey to the public or potential sponsors. There are no 
entry fees.
    At the end of 15 months, on or about November 15, 2010, 
participants will be required to submit their samples for testing by a 
designated independent laboratory. The location, shipping instructions 
and testing procedures will be posted on the Web site and sent 
electronically to the designated contact person for each participant.
    Testing and evaluations are planned to be completed in January 
2011, and the winner, if any, named by the Panel of Judges in February 
2011.
    Amount of the prize. Will be $1 million.
    Intellectual property. Intellectual property rights developed by 
the participant for H-Prize technology are set forth in Section 654 of 
Public Law 110-140. No parties managing the contest, including the U.S. 
Government, their testing laboratories, judges or H-Prize 
administrators will claim rights to the intellectual property derived 
by a registered participant as a consequence of, or in direct relation 
to, their participation in this H-Prize Competition. The Government and 
the participant may negotiate a license for the Government to use the 
intellectual property developed by the participant.

[[Page 43116]]

V. Criteria for Awarding the Prize

Technical Evaluation Criteria for Hydrogen Storage Materials

    Breakthrough materials that meet the following material-level 
criteria:
    <bullet> Goal is for a material that has the potential to be an on-
board rechargeable hydrogen storage material.
    <bullet> Gravimetric capacity of greater than 7.5 weight percent 
releasable hydrogen:
    [cir] Reversible H<INF>2</INF> capacity between -40 to +85 degrees 
C, and between 1.5 to 150 bar H<INF>2</INF> pressure.
    <bullet> Volumetric capacity of greater than 70 g/liter total 
releasable hydrogen:
    [cir] i.e., total volume of H<INF>2</INF> ab/adsorbed by the solid 
plus the pressurized hydrogen contained within the pore spaces all 
divided by the total sample volume including the material's skeletal 
volume.
    <bullet> Charging kinetics: greater than or equal to 
4x10<SUP>-4</SUP> (i.e. 0.0004) grams of hydrogen per gram of material 
per second:
    [cir] Charging kinetics are to be measured with an inlet hydrogen 
gas temperature of between -40 to +85 degrees C and an inlet hydrogen 
pressure of not greater than 150 bar.
    <bullet> Discharge kinetics: greater than or equal to 
2x10<SUP>-5</SUP> (i.e. 0.00002) grams of hydrogen per gram of material 
per second:
    [cir] Discharge kinetics are to be measured at a sample temperature 
between -40 to + 85 degrees C and with an outlet hydrogen pressure of 
greater than or equal to 1.5 bar.
    <bullet> Cycle life: 100 cycles:
    [cir] At completion of 100 charge/discharge cycles from less than 
5% to greater than 95% of reversible capacity, the sample's reversible 
capacity must still be greater than or equal to 95% of the gravimetric 
capacity target (i.e. >= 0.95 times 7.5 wt.% or >= 7.1 wt.%).
    Final test results and award qualifications. Performance data must 
be submitted on an entered material demonstrating the principal 
requirements from above, based on data obtained by an independent 
laboratory. The participant must provide at least a 10 gram sample of 
the material(s) for independent verification of the above criteria by a 
laboratory specified by the Panel of Judges in consultation with DOE. 
The Panel of Judges will evaluate the test results and determine if 
there is a winner and honorable mentions. An award will be made only if 
all the technical evaluation criteria are met or exceeded. In the case 
of multiple entries exceeding all of the performance criteria in the 
final test results, the entry with the highest gravimetric capacity 
will be the winner. In the case that two or more entries have the same 
highest gravimetric capacity, then the entry with the highest result 
for the above cycle life test will be declared the winner. Further 
details are provided on the criteria, scoring and rules in the H-Prize 
Rules and Requirements document at http://hydrogenprize.org.

VI. Cancellation and Team Disqualification

    A participant may be disqualified for the following reasons:
    <bullet> At the request of the registered participant or team 
leader;
    <bullet> Failure to meet or maintain eligibility requirements (note 
that at the time of the prize award, if it is determined that a 
participant has not met or maintained all eligibility requirements, 
they shall be disqualified without regard to H-Prize Competition 
performance);
    <bullet> Failure to comply with H-Prize Rules and Requirements;
    <bullet> Failure to submit required documents or materials on time;
    <bullet> Fraudulent acts, statements or misrepresentations 
involving any H-Prize participation or documentation; or,
    <bullet> Violation of any Federal, State or local law or regulation 
inconsistent with the H-Prize Competition.
    Cancellation. DOE reserves the right to cancel this prize program 
at any time prior to the completion of materials' testing by the 
independent third party laboratory.
    For more information about the DOE Hydrogen Program and related on-
board hydrogen storage activities visit the Program's Web site at 
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov and http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells.

    Issued in Golden, CO, on August 18, 2009.
Carol Hellman,
Acting Procurement Director, Golden Field Office.
[FR Doc. E9-20552 Filed 8-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P