Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 112 / Friday, June 9, 2000 / Notices 36677

Long Sault, Inc., Maine Electric Power

Company, Maine Public Service, Eastern

Maine Electric Cooperative, Minnesota

Power and Light, Minnkota Power, New

York Power Authority, Niagara Mohawk

Power Corporation, Northern States

Power and Vermont Electric

Transmission Company. The

construction of each of the international

transmission facilities to be utilized, as

more fully described in the application,

has previously been authorized by a

Presidential permit issued pursuant to

Executive Order 10485, as amended.

Procedural Matters

Any person desiring to become a

party to this proceeding or to be heard

by filing comments or protests to this

application should file a petition to

intervene, comment or protest at the

address provided above in accordance

with §§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the

FERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedures

(18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen

copies of each petition and protest

should be filed with the DOE on or

before the date listed above.

Comments on the Dominion

Resources application to export electric

energy to Canada should be clearly

marked with Docket EA–224.

Additional copies are to be filed directly

with Michael C. Regulinski, Esq.,

Virginia Electric and Power Co, 1 James

River Plaza, 701 East Carey Street,

Richmond, Virginia 23219 and James H.

McGrew, Esq., Bruder, Gentile &

Marcoux, LLP., 1100 New York Avenue,

N.W., Suite 510 East, Washington, D.C.

20005–3934.

A final decision will be made on this

application after the environmental

impacts have been evaluated pursuant

to the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969 and a determination is made

by the DOE that the proposed action

will not adversely impact on the

reliability of the U.S. electric power

supply system.

Copies of this application will be

made available, upon request, for public

inspection and copying at the address

provided above or by accessing the

Fossil Energy Home Page at http://

www.fe.doe.gov. Upon reaching the

Fossil Energy Home page, select

‘‘Regulatory,’’ then ‘‘Electricity,’’ and

then ‘‘Pending Proceedings’’ from the

options menus.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2000.

Anthony J. Como,

Deputy Director, Electric Power Regulation,

Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Office of Coal

& Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–14593 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Solicitation for Financial

Assistance Applications for

Cooperative Research and

Development for Advanced Natural

Gas Reciprocating Engines

AGENCY: Chicago Operations Office,

Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation

availability.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) announces its interest in

receiving applications for federal

assistance for research and development

of Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engines. Development, subsystem

testing, and demonstration of optimized

and fully integrated components for

advanced natural gas engines must be

performed.

DATES: The solicitation document is

available on the Internet. The due date

for applications is July 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The solicitation is available

on the Internet by accessing the DOE

Chicago Operations Office Acquisition

and Assistance Group home page at

http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/

acq.html under the heading ‘‘Current

Solicitations’’, Solicitation No. DESC02–00CH11029. Completed

applications referencing Solicitation No.

DE–SC02–00CH11029 must be

submitted to the U.S. Department of

Energy, Chicago Operations Office,

Communications Center, Building 201,

Room 168, 9800 South Cass Avenue,

Argonne, IL 60439–4899, Attn: Nadine

S. Kijak, Acquisition and Assistance

Group.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nadine S. Kijak at 630/252–2508, U.S.

Department of Energy, Chicago

Operations Office, Acquisition and

Assistance Group, 9800 South Cass

Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439–4899, by

facsimile at 630/252–5045, or by

electronic mail at

nadine.kijak@ch.doe.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For

purposes of this solicitation, an

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engine is a new or upgraded internal

combustion reciprocating piston engine

that deploys one or more technologies

that partially or totally accomplish the

following goals for higher energy

efficiency (ultimate program target goal

of 50%), lower emissions (NOX less than

.1g/hp-hr), and increased

competitiveness. The fully-developed,

demonstrated Advanced Natural Gas

Reciprocating Engine would accomplish

the following objectives:

1. Improve the performance of

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engines. Potential benefits to energy

consumers include: (1) Decreased

energy consumption and emissions; (2)

increased manufacturing process

efficiencies; (3) enhanced U.S.

industrial competitiveness; (4)

decreased reliance on strategic

materials; and (5) reduced operational

and maintenance costs. Other projected

benefits may include longer operating

time before maintenance and overhaul,

utilization of waste fuels, etc.

2. Transition the technology to backup fuels as well as alternative biomassderived fuels, while achieving a

substantial reduction in oxides of

nitrogen (NOX) emissions for these

fuels, and decrease in energy

consumption.

3. Demonstrate the durability for up to

8000 hours while otherwise maintaining

reliability, availability, and

maintainability of the Advanced Natural

Gas Reciprocating Engine and its

component subsystems.

4. Incur no negative impacts on the

performance of gas engines including

efficiency, fuel flexibility, cost of power,

and reliability and maintainability.

5. Encourage adoption and use of

energy-efficient, cost-effective natural

gas engines by the distributed

generation markets.

The Scope of Work covers applied

research and pre-commercial

demonstration in five work areas as

described below as Tasks 1, 2, 3, 4 and

5. In addition to these tasks, the Scope

of Work includes Subtasks A and B.

Subtask A will require the Participant to

provide a report covering the potential

technical market and technical/

economic barriers. Subtask B will

require the Participant to provide a

commercialization plan for Advanced

Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines.

The tasks represent an increasing

progression of maturation stages for

technology development. Task 1

involves component development and

testing; Task 2 involves system

development and testing; Task 3

involves engine integration and

preparation; Task 4 involves engine

system fabrication and proof test, and

Task 5 involves pre-commercial

demonstration. Depending on current

maturation of proposed technologies,

the work may start at any task if prior

work has been performed that would

satisfy completion or sufficient progress

of the previous task(s). Applications

may address any combination or

portions of the tasks.

The ultimate maturation of

technologies will be reached upon the

attainment of the solicitation objectives

36678 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 112 / Friday, June 9, 2000 / Notices

in a pre-commercial demonstration of

8000 hours (Task 5). Although it is the

intention of this solicitation to support

development of advanced engine

technologies that will so culminate,

there also is relevancy in gaining a

better understanding of the advanced

engine technologies and their impact on

natural gas engines. In such a case,

development of a completed

commercial system may not be feasible.

For example, development may end

prior to the maturation state of Task 5,

or Task 5 may be scheduled to complete

less than the 8000 hours (but more than

4000 hours as discussed below)

identified as a goal for

commercialization.

Regardless of the tasks proposed,

applications will raise the maturation

level of the concept relative to the

solicitation objectives.

Under Tasks 1 and 2 that follow, the

work may be performed with respect to

test devices or engines that could serve

as a logical and cost effective

intermediate basis for developing

technologies for Advanced Natural Gas

Reciprocating Engines. However, any

such technology developed under Tasks

1 and 2 must have applicability to

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engines.

Under Tasks 3, 4 and 5 that follow, all

work must be performed with respect to

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engines, and the demonstration

required under Task 5 must be

performed on an Advanced Natural Gas

Reciprocating Engines. All work

proposed to be performed under an

application must be scheduled for

completion within the five-year life

expectancy of this program. Work under

all tasks requires the participation of a

natural gas engine manufacturer.

Task 1

The starting point of this task shall be,

as a minimum, a concept of an

advanced engine technology with prior

experimental evidence of its potential

for meeting the solicitation objectives.

The Participant will identify the form,

function, and fit of all components

necessary to execute the proposed

technology. The Participant will also

develop preliminary component

designs. First article components will be

constructed and tested at a scale

suitable to confirm the design

parameters that were used and to give

qualitative and quantitative indications

that the components will perform as

planned.

Task 2

The Participant will complete

detailed designs of the selected system

components. The design process will

include the optimization and cost

reduction of the processing, fabrication,

and integration of the selected

components into a viable engine system.

The components will be manufactured

and the sub-system will be assembled.

Development and testing will be done to

verify and optimize the overall

approach, to provide operating and

control parameters during manufacture

and use, and to provide full-scale

definition such as allowable engine

operating ranges, sensitivity to fuel

variability, and other factors affecting

the performance and competitiveness of

the engine system.

Task 3

The design of an Advanced Natural

Gas Reciprocating Engine will be

adapted in parallel to component

development to assure compatibility,

optimum fit, and functionality. The

work under this task will integrate

hardware, controls, and operating

procedures for startup, steady operation

over the engine’s usual power range (for

example 50% to 100% of rated output),

planned changes (such as anticipated

shutdown or transitions of operating

load), and unexpected changes in power

output (such as lost load).

Task 4

The Participant shall design and

fabricate a complete engine system that

utilizes the components developed

under Task 2 or elsewhere. The

components shall exhibit the form,

function, and fit compatible with the

modified engine developed either under

Task 3 or elsewhere. The Participant

shall prove, either by subsystem rig

testing or by demonstrating on an

engine, the ability of the subsystem

components to perform as planned.

Such testing shall include those sensors

and controllers needed to maintain

testing over the design operating range

of the engine. Test results shall include

relationships among performance,

efficiency, emissions, temperatures, and

all other relevant parameters that

quantify and qualify the system for

commercial delivery. The proof testing

shall be based on natural gas fuel or any

other fuel with a viable market presence

in the distributed generation market

such as waste fuels and biomass. Also,

the market may require dual fuel

capabilities. Such dual fuel capabilities

may be considered in the design.

The completion of Task 4 would

result in the assembly of an Advanced

Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine that

incorporates components completed

under this task or elsewhere. The engine

shall be ready for insertion into a

commercial package that is suitable for

shipment, installation, and

demonstration in the field under Task 5.

Task 5

A host site(s) will be selected for

demonstration of the Advanced Natural

Gas Reciprocating Engine qualified

either by the completion of Task 4 or

elsewhere. The Participant will integrate

the engine with the balance of plant

equipment such as a generator that is

compatible with the needs of a specific

host site(s). The completion of Task 5

would result in an 8000-hour

demonstration of the engine that can be

reasonably expected to meet project

objectives. At a minimum, the

demonstration shall comprise 4000

hours of operation with natural gas fuel

at a host site that is compatible with an

operating rate of at least 4000 hours per

annum. The applicant shall complete a

coordinated plan for the demonstration

that incorporates the perspectives of all

relevant parties, including the host site.

The plan will also assign

responsibilities on all matters necessary

to execute the demonstration plan, such

as business arrangements, balance of

plant equipment, site construction, site

integration, periodic inspections of

hardware, visitations of third parties,

data acquisition at the host site to verify

expected benefits, and obtainment of

environmental, construction, operating,

and other permits.

The demonstration shall be

representative of significant market

segments of the distributed power

generation industry. As a result, the

successful demonstration at the host site

will be expected to exemplify the

resolution of the typical barriers (such

as technical, environmental, industry

acceptance, and utility grid control

issues) that impede the widespread

adoption of distributed generation. In

this regard, all hours of operation

accumulated under the demonstration

shall be gained while generating electric

power. Additionally, all such hours of

operation shall be accumulated while

the host site is interconnected to the

existing local utility transmission and

distribution grid that exists for the

routine transmission and distribution of

electric power. Accordingly, the balance

of plant equipment shall be sufficient to

generate and condition such electric

power, and all hardware shall be

provided for interconnection,

transmission, and distribution on the

local utility grid. (The sole use of

isolation switches shall not be sufficient

to meet this requirement.)

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 112 / Friday, June 9, 2000 / Notices 36679

Subtask A

Subtask A is required for any

applicant selected for award and is to be

performed in conjunction with the

lowest numbered task proposed. The

completed report must be received

within 90 days of award of the

cooperative agreement and will be

submitted in accordance with topical

report requirements. Relative to gas

engine(s), the Participant will do

program definition and planning studies

that identify all essential steps for

enabling the use of an Advanced

Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine and

meeting the objectives of this

solicitation. The elements of these steps

will include the critical research and

development needs, areas and degree of

risk, types and quantities of resources,

schedule, and cost.

The report will further define

completed distributed energy resource

and/or cooling, heating and power

systems likely to be available at the

successful completion of this project.

The Participant will identify and

quantify the potential technical markets

for such systems. In areas such as

energy efficiency, performance, cost,

and emissions, the Participant will

provide detailed rationale that supports

these projections. All barriers such as

the lack of uniform code standards that

will impact on the technical market will

be identified. However, any such

barriers that are out of the control of the

Participant shall be deemed not to

impact on the projected technical

market.

Subtask B

Subtask B is required to be performed

in conjunction with the lowest

numbered task of Tasks 3, 4, and/or 5

under which the Participant will do

work. The completed report must be

received within 180 days of initiation of

the lowest numbered Task (3–5)

proposed. This report will be submitted

in accordance with topical report

requirements.

The main impetus for this work is the

commercial implementation of an

efficient, clean, and cost effective

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating

Engine that is deployed in distributed

generation and combined heat and

power systems. It is essential that a

commercialization plan support the

proposed Advanced Natural Gas

Reciprocating Engine and achieves the

goals of this solicitation (Section 1.1.2).

Participants doing work under Tasks 3,

4, or 5 shall complete

commercialization plans and strategies

for all relevant functions in the

commercialization process such as costeffective manufacturing, marketing,

production volumes, and support for the

Participant’s engine system.

DOE expects to award three (3) to five

(5) cooperative agreements under this

solicitation. It is estimated that

individual awards will range in value

between approximately $500,000 and

$10,000,000 of DOE funding and will

require awardee Cost Sharing.

A minimum non-federal cost sharing

commitment of 30% of the total

proposed costs for Tasks 1 or 2; 45% of

Tasks 3 and 4; and 60% of Task 5 is

required. Any non-profit or for-profit

organization, university or other

institution of higher education, or nonfederal agency or entity is eligible to

apply, unless otherwise restricted by the

Simpson-Craig Amendment. DOE

Laboratory participation as a

subcontractor is limited to no more than

50% of the cost of any individual task

under which the laboratory participates.

This amount is further limited to 40%

if laboratory participation is proposed

under Task 5.

As applicants may apply under one or

more of the five tasks within the

solicitation Scope of Work, there is a

range in the number of potential awards

and award values.

Estimated DOE funding is $40 million

over the five-year period. DOE reserves

the right to fund any, all, or none of the

applications submitted in response to

this solicitation. All awards are subject

to the availability of funds.

Issued in Argonne, Illinois on June 1, 2000.

John D. Greenwood,

Acquisition and Assistance Group Manager.

[FR Doc. 00–14591 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed Agency

information collection and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) invites public comment on a

proposed information collection that

DOE is developing for submission to the

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), pursuant to the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995. This collection

would gather information over a threeyear period from participants in the

Industrial Assessment Center (IAC)

Program (specifically clients, alumni

and web-site users), concerning details

of energy, waste, production and cost

savings generated through their

participation in IAC assessments, or

through their use of IAC-sponsored websites.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted by August 14, 2000. If you

anticipate difficulty in submitting

comments within that period, contact

the person listed below as soon as

possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be

sent to M. Martin, Oak Ridge National

Laboratory, PO Box 2008, MS–6070,

Oak Ridge, TN 37831–6070; or by FAX

at (865) 574–9338; or by e-mail at

martinma@ornl.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the forms and instructions

should be directed to M. Martin using

the contact information listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Collection Title: Impact Evaluation of

IAC Program Participants: Clients,

Alumni and Web-users.

OMB Control Number: None.

Type of Request: New collection.

Frequency of response: One time only.

Respondents: IAC Program clients,

alumni and web-users (businesses and

individuals).

Estimated number of annual

respondents: 570.

Estimated total annual burden hours:

355 hours.

Background

The Department of Energy, as part of

its effort to comply with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13,

44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides the

general public and other Federal

agencies with opportunities to comment

on collections of information conducted

by or in conjunction with DOE. Any

comments received help the Department

to prepare data requests that maximize

the utility of the information collected,

and to assess the impact of collection

requirements on the public. Also, DOE

will later seek approval by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) of the

collections under Section 3506(c) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Data will be collected from IAC

participants concerning energy, waste,

productivity and cost savings generated

through their participation in IAC

assessments or through their use of

technical information provided by IACsponsored web-sites. Data will be

collected from clients, program alumni,

and IAC web-users using either

electronic, web-based surveys or

telephone interviews. The data will