Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 192 / Friday, October 3, 1997 / Notices 51839

Survey. Because the discussion will

include information on planned

procurements, this session must be

closed to the public. The public

disclosure of this information would be

likely to significantly frustrate the

implementation of planned agency

action if conducted in open session.

Such matters are protected by

exemption (9)(B) of Section 552b (c) of

Title 5 U.S.C.

A summary of the activities and

related matters, which are informative

to the public and consistent with the

policy of Title 5 U.S.C. 552b, will be

available to the public within 14 days

after the meetings. Records are kept of

all Council proceedings and are

available for public inspection at the

Office of the Executive Director,

Advisory Council on Education

Statistics, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW,

room 400J, Washington, DC 20208–

7575.

Ricky Takai,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational

Research and Improvement.

[FR Doc. 97–26199 Filed 10–2–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Restricted Eligibility in Support of

Advanced Coal Research at U.S.

Colleges and Universities

AGENCY: Federal Energy Technology

Center (FETC), Pittsburgh, Department

of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Issuance of financial assistance

solicitation.

SUMMARY: The FETC announces that

pursuant to 10 CFR 600.8(a)(2), and in

support of advanced coal research to

U.S. colleges and universities, it intends

to conduct a competitive Program

Solicitation and award financial

assistance grants to qualified recipients.

Proposals will be subjected to a

comparative merit review by a Peer

Review/DOE technical panel, and

awards will be made to a limited

number of proposers on the basis of the

scientific merit of the proposals,

application of relevant program policy

factors, and the availability of funds.

DATES: The Program Solicitation is

expected to be ready for release by

October 15, 1997. Applications must be

prepared and submitted in accordance

with the instructions and forms in the

Program Solicitation and must be

received by the Department of Energy by

November 26, 1997. Upon receipt of the

solicitation document, check for any

changes (i.e. closing date of solicitation)

and/or amendments, if any, prior to

proposal submission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Debra A. Duncan, U.S. Department of

Energy, Federal Energy Technology

Center, P.O. Box 10940 (MS 921–143),

Pittsburgh, PA 15236–0940; (Telephone:

412–892–5700; Facsimile: 412–892–

6216; E-Mail: duncan@fetc.doe.gov).

ADDRESSES: The solicitation will be

posted on the internet at FETC’s Home

Page (http://www.fetc.doe.gov/business/

solicit/solicit.html). The solicitation

will also be available, upon request, in

Wordperfect 5.1 format on 35′′ doublesided/high-density disk. Requests can

be made via letter, facsimile, or by

E-mail. Telephone requests will not be

accepted for any format version of the

solicitation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through

Program Solicitation DE-PS26–

98FT98200.000, the DOE is interested in

applications from U.S. colleges and

universities (and university-affiliated

research centers submitting applications

through their respective universities).

Applications will be selected to

complement and enhance research

being conducted in related Fossil

Energy (FE) programs. Applications may

be submitted individually (i.e., by only

one college/university) or jointly (i.e.,

by ‘‘teams’’ made up of: (1) three or

more colleges/universities, or (2) two or

more colleges/universities and at least

one industrial partner. Collaboration, in

the form of joint proposals, is

encouraged but not required.

Eligibility

Applications under this solicitation

may be accepted in two subprogram

areas: (1) University Coal Research

(UCR) Core Program, and (2) University

Coal Research Innovative Concepts

Program. Applications must address

coal research in one of the solicitation

key focus areas in the Core Program or

as outlined in the Innovative Concepts

Program.

Background

A concept called ‘‘Vision 21’’ is being

developed as part of the Coal and Power

Systems Strategic Plan which will

provide DOE’s Fossil Energy

organization with a clear focus and

mission and will be central to the course

of fossil energy research. Vision 21 is, in

essence, the idea of a modular coproduction facility that is designed for

facile capture of CO2. The concept does

not define a single, optimum

configuration but rather allows for a

series of plant configurations, based on

common modules, capable of coproducing power, fuels, chemicals, and

other high value products with

avoidance or sequestration of CO2 and

with low emissions of SO2, NOX , and

particulates. It is envisioned that their

modular construction will permit the

plants to be tailored to fit a geographic

location and specific market area by

selection of the appropriate combination

of modules. The modules will be scaled

to operate together and may be available

in several size ranges. In summary, the

distinguishing features of the definitive

Vision 21 fleet would be (1) the

capability of producing low cost

electricity at efficiencies over 60%; (2)

near-zero pollutants, i.e., one-tenth of

New Source Performance Standards for

criteria pollutants; (3) no net CO2

emissions; (4) fuel flexibility (coal plus

other opportunity fuels); (5) coproduction of higher value

commodities; and (6) modular design

that permits customizing a plant to a

given market area.

For purposes of this solicitation, the

feedstock may be coal or any

carbonaceous material in combination

with coal. Gas or biomass could be

combined with the coal to reduce or

offset fossil carbon emissions in stages

of development where CO2 was not

completely sequestered. Petroleum coke

could be used near refineries and

municipal waste could also be a fraction

of any feed. These Vision 21 plants

would answer the needs of a

deregulated power industry in that they

would provide the ability to supply

distributed power while producing high

value products. The flexibility to shift

product distribution with market forces

would make the fledgling plants more

robust in a competitive market. The

capability to readily capture a

concentrated CO2 stream will be an

added benefit should a ‘‘carbon tax’’ be

levied and would allow market forces to

determine whether carbon is

sequestered or taxed-on-release. The

Power/Fuels/ Chemicals industry will

produce environmentally responsible

power, fuels, and chemicals that will be

the basis for a secure energy future. The

high efficiency of the new power

systems will allow more efficient use of

indigenous resources and further reduce

CO2 emissions. Developments in

breakthrough technologies, such as the

high temperature hydrogen separation

membrane and advanced oxygen

production, will be spinoffs that will be

beneficial to many industries. The work

in three-phase slurry reactors is

universally applicable to chemical and

petroleum industries, and development

of advanced Diesel fuels will increase

gas mileage by 50% or more while

reducing particulates and CO2
51840 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 192 / Friday, October 3, 1997 / Notices

emissions. Advanced research into areas

of proposed regulation and into newly

regulated materials, such as PM2.5 and

mercury, will provide the knowledge

base necessary for judicious application

of the law. A module will be included

in the Vision 21 slate when it has been

physically demonstrated at full-scale.

Data from these demonstrations will

permit ready simulation of any

permutation of modules in a ‘‘virtual

demonstration’’ of a plant configuration.

At some point, it will be possible to

provide the market and feedstock

information for a geographic area and

receive a prioritized list of plant

configurations based on demonstrated

modules. This virtual demonstration

will provide significant economies

when siting, designing, and constructing

Vision 21 plants. Research should be

continuous in all areas of fuels,

chemicals, and carbon materials

production and power generation to

include environmental mitigation

technologies and facile CO2 capture. As

developments in some technologies are

slowed by barriers, those technologies

may be moved back into a more

advanced research mode. No area

should be completely abandoned. The

advantage of the Vision concept is that,

for example, if one gasifier technology is

slowed, another will be developed in

parallel. If a technology is not able to be

economically developed, it will not stop

the progress of Vision 21, but will only

change configuration options. The UCR

program is moving in the direction of

Vision 21 and will be providing the

longer range research needs asociated

with Vision 21 in addition to continuing

to support our present program areas.

As you may infer, Vision 21 is not

exclusive of our present work, but is

rather a concept that provides a longer

term focus and direction to our research

programs.

UCR Core Program

The DOE is interested in innovative

and fundamental research pertinent to

coal conversion and utilization limited

to six (6) focus areas under the UCR

Core Program. The focus areas are listed

in descending order of programmatic

priority. The DOE intends to fund at

least one proposal in each focus area;

however, high quality proposals in a

higher ranked focus area may be given

more consideration during the selection

process. The areas sought in the focus

areas are not intended to be allencompassing, and it is specifically

emphasized that other subjects for coal

research that fall within their scope will

receive the same evaluation and

consideration for support as the

examples cited.

UCR Core Program Focus Areas

Mercury Detection and Control

Concern over mercury emissions from

power plant stack gas has increased

since the 1990 Amendments to the

Clean Air Act, where mercury was

included in the list of 189 hazardous air

pollutants. Mercury is present in most

coals at trace levels and, during

gasification or combustion processes, is

partitioned between the ash, particulate

(fly ash), and gas phases. Any mercury

in the ash or particulate is readily

measured and controlled, but the

behavior of vapor phase mercury is

problematic. Significant quantities of

mercury leave the gasification or

combustion zone in the vapor phase as

elemental mercury, mercuric chloride,

or some other volatile mercury

compound, and no known single

technique can effectively remove all

forms of mercury. The initial

distribution between the elemental and

oxidized mercury varies with the plant,

coal, and conditions. As the entrained

vapor travels down the thermal and

chemical gradients of subsequent gas

processing, be it for gasification or

combustion, the valence states and

forms of the mercury change, yet again,

as the various mercury species react

with oxidizing gases, such as chlorine,

added gas treatment reagents, and

compounds sorbed on them. In

addition, fly ash, unburned carbon, and

other particulate components of the gas

stream may interact or catalyze

reactions of the mercury compounds.

It has become apparent that the

system is significantly more complex

than previously imagined and that to

measure and control mercury in these

gas streams, a basic understanding of

the chemistry of mercury under the

range of thermal and chemical

conditions found in gasification and

combustion processes is necessary.

Grant applications are sought for

fundamental investigations into the

measurement and the removal of

mercury and mercury compounds in

coal fired power plant flue gases and

coal gasifier internal process streams. In

particular, the proposals should focus

on one or both of the following aspects:

(1) Defining and understanding the

mechanisms involved with mercury

transformation during combustion and

gasification, focusing on the

identification of the rate-controlling

steps (i.e., transport, equilibria, and

kinetics), and (2) Defining and

understanding the mechanisms

involved with mercury transformations

during post combustion/gasification

conditions (i.e., gas and particle phase

interactions) resulting in the absorption

of mercury and conversion of one form

of mercury to another. This would

include defining and understanding the

physical and chemical interactions of

flue gas constituents (vapor and

particle) on the absorption of mercury

while injecting novel sorbents.

Novelty of approach, coupled with

the likelihood of providing useful

measurements and fundamental data

must be demonstrated in the successful

application. Proposals based on

incremental additions to the current

data base are not encouraged.

Novel Catalysts for Advanced Diesel

Fuels

With the renewed interest in synthetic

diesel fuels derived from FischerTropsch (F–T) reaction of Syngas and

the concomitant research into

oxygenated diesel fuels, such as ethers

and acetals, there is a need for new

catalysts that are more selective, operate

under milder conditions, and

economically produce stable, highcetane-number diesel fuels and

additives. These would be produced

either in a stand alone facility or, more

likely, as part of a coal-fed Vision 21 coproduction plant. The drive to produce

diesel specification fuels is the result of

increased sales of light trucks, vans, and

sport/utility vehicles that now account

for over 50% of the market. These

vehicles, much less fuel efficient than

modern sedans, will probably be forced

to use diesel engines to meet Corporate

Average Fuel Economy requirements.

The engines will behave operationally

and environmentally like modern spark

ignition engines and use fuels that are

compatible with the present distribution

infrastructure to ease the conversion to

the new fuels.

Grant applications are sought for

investigations into the area of new

catalysts for selective, economic, and

environmentally acceptable oxygenated

and high-cetane-number diesel fuels.

The fuels produced must be

compression ignitable and may not

include methanol. The work should

lead to novel catalysts to produce such

fuels or a better basic understanding of

catalytic production of diesel fuels.

Advanced Air Separation Technologies

An Integrated Gasification Combined

Cycle (IGCC) system is a likely modular

component of a Vision 21 co-production

plant. In an IGCC system, coal and other

carbonaceous feedstocks are partially

combusted at elevated temperatures and

pressures to produce synthesis gas, a

mixture of carbon monoxide and

hydrogen. The synthesis gas must be

cleaned of sulfur compounds and

particulates before use. IGCC technology
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 192 / Friday, October 3, 1997 / Notices 51841

is ideally suited for the coproduction of

electricity and high quality

transportation fuel or a host of highvalue chemicals to meet specific market

needs. For the production of electricity,

the gasifier can use either air or pure

oxygen for the partial combustion

reactions. However, for coproduction of

power and fuels/chemicals, oxygen is

required to reduce the quantity of inert

materials in downstream process units.

The coproduction option offers the

potential for early introduction of IGCC

technologies in the United States

through integration with existing

manufacturing facilities and will lead

directly to Vision 21 plants. Through

the continued development of improved

technologies, DOE hopes to further

reduce the capital cost of IGCC facilities

to below $1,000 per kilowatt, achieve

high overall plant efficiencies, produce

environmentally superior transportation

fuels that are cost competitive with

those produced from petroleum, and to

reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Grant applications are sought to

develop advanced air separation

techniques that have potential for

substantial reductions in capital and

operating costs compared with

commercial cryogenic air separation

technologies and result in improved

overall process efficiencies for Vision 21

modules such as IGCC with coproduction of fuels and chemicals.

The proposed technologies can either

focus on the production of pure oxygen

or enriched air (e.g., 65–85% oxygen in

nitrogen). Such technologies are not

further defined but could include

advanced molecular sieve membranes,

advanced absorption technologies or

oxygen transport membranes. The

proposed concept need not be a

standalone technology and those that

require integration into specific

processes to achieve the desired cost

and efficiency improvements are

acceptable.

Direct Coal Liquefaction

Direct coal liquefaction includes

technologies for converting coal or

mixtures of coal with petroleum resids,

waste materials (plastics, rubber), or

biomass (wood, paper) to liquid

products suitable for further refining for

ultimate use as transportation fuels.

Application of these technologies has

been delayed by the need to reduce

costs of both the initial conversion

processes and the downstream

processes for the upgrading of the liquid

products. Better knowledge of chemical

reactions pertinent to the conversion of

coal and the prevention of the formation

of refractory products would benefit the

design of process strategies and to

reduce cost of direct liquefaction.

Knowledge that would enable the more

efficient use of hydrogen would

improve the overall thermal efficiency

and reduce the net emissions of CO2

from the conversion process. A key

requirement for improving the science

underlying the technology of the initial

conversion of coal, or its co-processing

mixtures, is a better understanding of

the complex chemistry of the

conversion steps. These steps involve

combinations of thermal cracking and

hydrogenation, usually with a dispersed

or supported catalyst. Another problem

lie in the hydrotreatment of the liquids

produced by the initial steps. This

downstream catalytic upgrading

involves extensive hydrogenation in

order ultimately to produce a fuel that

will meet performance and

environmental standards. Reduction of

the cost and hydrogen consumption in

these upgrading steps requires raising

the performance of catalytic

hydrotreating processes. Such

improvements would be made easier if

better knowledge of the target molecules

for hydrodesulfurization and

hydrodenitrogenation were available.

Grant applications are being sought to

understand these mechanisms better, or

to develop ways to overcome these

barriers to advancing this technology.

CO2 Capture and Sequestration

Future advanced power generation

systems, such as Vision 21, will be

designed to eliminate any CO2

emissions from the plant. The high

energy penalties and high costs

associated with removing CO2 from the

flue gas of a fossil fuel-fired power plant

represent major impediments to future

use of CO2 sequestration. Novel

methods for capture and sequestration

of CO2 that sharply reduce these energy

penalties and costs must be

investigated. Promising approaches

could include the development of new

scrubbing solvents or sorbents, or the

development of advanced sequestration

techniques that are compatible with the

Vision 21 concept. Since, in the

sequestration schemes for CO2, transport

could be a major economic and practical

concern, proposed ideas may also be

related to the ease of transporting CO2

to a storage site. Proposed methods of

CO2 disposal could include but not be

limited to new ideas on using oil and

gas reservoirs, the deep oceans, deep

confined aquifers, and mineral

carbonates.

Grant applications are sought to

investigate areas of novel methods of

CO2 capture and sequestration that are

technically, economically, and

ecologically feasible. The proposed

work should be consistent with the

Vision 21 concept, novel in nature, and

may include, but must not be limited to

a review of prior research related to this

focus area.

Advanced Diagnostics and Modeling

Techniques for Three-Phase Slurry

Reactors (Bubble Columns)

The Fischer-Tropsch (F–T) synthesis

reaction represents an important route

to convert coal-derived synthesis gas to

hydrocarbon fuels and will be a module

for the Vision 21 plants. Slurry phase

Fischer-Tropsch processing is

considered a potentially more economic

scheme to convert synthesis gas into

liquid fuels, largely due to its relatively

simple reactor design, improved thermal

efficiency, and ability to process COrich synthesis gas. The application of

the three-phase slurry reactor system to

coal liquefaction and the chemical

process industry has recently received

considerable attention. A reliable model

will be invaluable for the design, scaleup, and efficient operation of the threephase slurry reactors. To develop such

a model, the hydrodynamic parameters

and the complex chemistry of the F–T

reaction must be fully understood.

‘‘Hydrodynamics’’ includes the rate of

mass transfer between the gas and the

liquid, gas bubble size, gas, liquid, and

solids holdup, and gas, liquid, and

solids axial and radical distributions,

velocity distribution and flow regimes.

Measurement of these parameters must

be made under reaction conditions,

such as high temperature and pressure,

and with the presence of a reaction

liquid medium and high gas and solids

holdup. It is expected that advanced

diagnostic techniques will be required

to conduct the measurements under the

reaction conditions.

The completed model must be able to

predict the holdup of all phases (gas,

liquid, and solids), temperature and

pressure profiles, and concentration

profiles for individual reactants and

products.

Grant applications are sought for

investigations of the advanced

diagnostic techniques for the

measurement of hydrodynamic

parameters under Fischer-Tropsch

reaction conditions. Novelty and

innovation coupled with the likely

prospect of providing new insight on

these long standing problems must be

demonstrated in the successful

application. Proposals based on

extensions of traditional methods or

past results are discouraged.

Grant applications are sought for

investigations of the development of

models for the three-phase slurry

reactor. The model must incorporate the
51842 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 192 / Friday, October 3, 1997 / Notices

hydrodynamic parameters and reaction

kinetics. Novelty and innovation

coupled with the likely prospect of

providing new insight on these long

standing problems must be

demonstrated in the successful

application.

UCR Innovative Concepts Program

As the twenty-first century

approaches, the challenges facing coal

and the electric utility industry

continue to grow. Environmental issues

such as pollutant control, both criteria

and trace, waste minimization, and the

co-firing of coal with biomass, waste, or

alternative fuels will remain important.

The need for increased efficiency,

improved reliability, and lower costs

will be felt as an aging utility industry

faces deregulation. Advanced power

systems, such as a Vision 21 plant, and

environmental systems will come into

play as older plants are retired and

utilities explore new ways to meet the

growing demand for electricity.

The DOE is interested in innovative

research in the coal conversion and

utilization areas that will be required if

coal is to continue to play a dominant

role in the generation of electric power.

Technical topics like the ones that

follow, will need to be answered but are

not intended to be all-encompassing. It

is specifically emphasized that other

subjects for coal research will receive

the same evaluation and consideration

for support as the examples cited.

UCR Innovative Concepts Program

Technical Topic(s)

Fine Particulate Matter

Fine particulate matter is defined as

material with an aerodynamicequivalent diameter of 2.5 microns or

less and is generally represented as

PM2.5 It represents a broad class of

substances dispersed through the

atmosphere and originates from a

variety of sources. These particles,

which have been associated with

adverse human health effects, are

generally divided into two classes,

Primary and Secondary. Primary

particles are emitted directly as such, as

fly ash, soot, dust, or sea salt. Secondary

particles are formed in the atmosphere

mainly from gas phase precursors such

as SO2, NOX, and VOC to produce

particles such as sulfuric acid,

ammonium nitrate, and ammonium

bisulfate. Recently, the Environmental

Protection Agency promulgated a new

PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality

Standards. These standards will affect

the operation of much of our industrial

base, including fossil fueled power and

industrial plants. In light of the

regulations, it will be important to

capture and identify particles as to

composition and probable sources and

would greatly affect the industries

controlled and the levels of controls

required.

Grant applications are sought for

proposals to investigate innovative

methods for the quantitative capture

and chemical analysis of air borne PM2.5

particles with the goal of source

apportionment.

Additionally, grant applications are

sought for methods that allow on-line

measurement or control at sources such

as fossil fueled power and industrial

plants.

Materials—Development of Innovative

Protective Surface Oxide Coatings

Protection from corrosion and

environmental effects arising from

damaging reactions with gases and

condensed products is required to

exploit the potential of advanced hightemperature materials designed to

improve energy efficiency fully and

reduce deleterious environmental

impact (e.g., to achieve the performance

goals of the Vision 21 powerplants). The

resistance to such reactions is best

afforded by the formation of stable

surface oxides that are slow growing,

compact, and adherent to the substrate

or by the deposition of coatings that

contain or develop oxides with similar

characteristics. However, the ability of

brittle ceramic films and coatings to

protect the material on which they are

formed or deposited has long been

problematical, particularly for

applications involving numerous or

severe high temperature thermal cycles

or very aggressive environments. This

lack of mechanical reliability severely

limits the performance or durability of

alloys and ceramics in many hightemperature utility and powerplant

applications and places severe

restrictions on deployment of such

materials. The beneficial effects of

certain alloying additions on the growth

and adherence of protective oxide scales

on metallic substrates are well known,

but satisfactory broad understandings of

the mechanisms by which scale

properties and coating integrity (i.e.,

corrosion resistance) are improved by

compositional, microstructural, and

processing modifications are lacking.

Grant applications are sought for

expanding the scientific and

technological approaches to improving

stable surface oxides for corrosion

protection in high-temperature

oxidizing environments. The needs are

associated with developing innovative

oxide coatings and characterizing oxidemetal interfaces and stress effects on

scale growth as part of DOE’s efforts to

establish a sound technical basis for the

formulation of specific compositions

and synthesis routes for producing

materials with tough, adherent, stable,

slow growing oxide scales or coatings

that exhibit the improved elevated

temperature environmental resistance

crucial to the success of many of FE’s

advanced systems.

In-Situ Removal of Contaminants From

High-Temperature Fuel Cells

The product gas from advanced coal

gasification systems contains numerous

contaminants that are unacceptable for

the present designs of high-temperature

molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel

cells (MCFCs and SOFCs, respectively).

In a Vision 21 Plant, as in all coal

gasification and combustion processes,

there is a tradeoff between gas cleanup

and downstream process durability. The

desired long-term operation (40,000

hours) of current MCFCs and SOFCs can

be significantly reduced by even trace

amounts of these contaminants. These

contaminants include particulates (e.g.,

coal fines and ash), sulfur compounds

(e.g., H2S and COS), halides (e.g., HCl

and HF), nitrogen compounds (e.g., NH3

and HCN), and trace metal species (e.g.,

As, Pb, Hg, Cd, Sn). The effects of these

contaminants include plugging of gas

passages, corrosion of fuel cell

components, and voltage losses due to

various mechanisms, including physical

absorption, chemisorption, or chemical

reaction with fuel cell materials.

Tolerance limits can be below 1 ppm,

and the effects vary in severity but all

are detrimental to fuel cell performance.

It is unlikely that the next generation of

gas cleanup and gas separation

processes in the Vision 21 scenario will

provide gas purity sufficient for longterm operation of MCFCs and SOFCs

manufactured with current materials

and fabrication techniques. If coal-based

systems, such as Vision 21, are to take

advantage of the high efficiency and

other benefits of high-temperature fuel

cells, methods for in-situ removal of

contaminants will greatly increase the

resiliency of these devices and would be

applicable to any level of electrode

materials technology.

Grant applications are sought for

proposals to investigate innovative

methods for cost-effective, in-situ

removal of deposits, including ash,

carbon, and trace metals, from MCFC

and SOFC surfaces. The proposed work

may include, but must not be limited to

a review of prior research related to this

focus area.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 192 / Friday, October 3, 1997 / Notices 51843

Prevention of Catalyst Carryover in

Three Phase Reactors

There is renewed interest in F–T

derived diesel fuels, produced in a

stand alone facility or as part of a coalfed Vision 21 co-production plant. To

maximize the percentage of diesel fuel

obtained, the catalyst would be

designed to allow diesel range products

to be the second largest portion of the

product, while maximizing the

production of wax. The wax would be

further hydrocracked to diesel fuel in a

separate step. Assuming that a threephase slurry reactor would be chosen

for the F–T process, there exists the

problem of separating the wax from the

molten catalyst-wax slurry as its level

rises. The wax, of carbon number 20 to

70, is both the product and the slurry

medium.

Grant applications are sought to

develop operations, processes, or reactor

configurations that maintain the

necessary catalyst inventory in the

reactor.

Advanced Power Generation Cycles

One of the most effective ways to

reduce CO2 and other emissions from

coal-fired powerplants and to achieve

the targets for the Vision 21 plant is to

significantly increase the efficiency of

power plants. New cycles are intended

for combined cycle applications, that

could increase the efficiency of

powerplants to well over 45%.

Grant applications are being solicited

for investigation and study of new

cycles for power generation. Specific

areas of study may include high

temperature (∼1,000F), high pressure

(∼2,400 psi) ammonia/water vapor/

liquid thermodynamic properties at

various volume ratios, validation of

efficiency projects, alternative

approaches to complex combined cycle

evaluations for better matching of

conventional and advanced technology

processes, economics, and identification

of barriers (corrosion and new materials

investigations, heat transfer coefficients

in two liquid mixtures for application in

falling film heat exchangers), to

commercialization. Any novel topping

and bottoming cycles may be offered.

Liquids From Coal

The many advantages of using and

handling liquid fuels and chemical

feedstocks has driven research to

produce these materials from low-cost,

abundant coal. During most of this

century, many processes have been

developed and a few of these were

commercialized at some point. With the

advent of Vision 21 and the coproduction concept, opportunities may

now exist for identification and

development of novel liquefaction

processes that would fit the modular

design criterion and permit ready

sequestration of CO2.

Grant applications are being solicited

for investigation and study of new

methods to produce value-added liquids

from coal consistent with the Vision 21

concept.

Awards

DOE anticipates awarding financial

assistance grants for each project

selected. Approximately $2.7 million

will be available for the Program

Solicitation. An estimated $2.2 million

is budgeted for the UCR Core Program

and should provide funding for

approximately one to three (1–3)

financial assistance awards in each of

the six focused areas of research. The

maximum DOE funding for individual

colleges/universities applications in the

UCR Core Program varies according to

the length of the proposed performance

period as follows:

Performance period Maximum

funding

0–12 months ................................. $80,000

13–24 months ............................... 140,000

25–60 months ............................... 200,000

The maximum DOE funding for UCR

Core Program joint applications is

$400,000 requiring a performance

period of 36 months.

Approximately $0.5 million is

budgeted for the UCR Innovative

Concepts Program and should provide

support for approximately ten (10)

financial assistance awards. The

maximum DOE funding for UCR

Innovative Concepts Program awards is

$50,000 with 12-month performance

periods.

Issued in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on

September 25, 1997.

Richard D. Rogus,

Contracting Officer, Acquisition and

Assistance Division.

[FR Doc. 97–26276 Filed 10–02–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Fossil Energy

[Docket No. FE C&E 97–02—Certification

Notice—155]

Denver City Energy Associates, L.P.;

Notice of Filing of Coal Capability

Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of filing.

SUMMARY: On September 23, 1997,

Denver City Energy Associates, L.P.

submitted a coal capability selfcertification pursuant to section 201 of

the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use

Act of 1978, as amended.

ADDRESSES: Copies of self-certification

filings are available for public

inspection, upon request, in the Office

of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Fossil Energy,

Room 3F–056, FE–27, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Russell at (202) 586–9624.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title II of

the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use

Act of 1978 (FUA), as amended (42

U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), provides that no

new baseload electric powerplant may

be constructed or operated without the

capability to use coal or another

alternate fuel as a primary energy

source. In order to meet the requirement

of coal capability, the owner or operator

of such facilities proposing to use

natural gas or petroleum as its primary

energy source shall certify, pursuant to

FUA section 201(d), to the Secretary of

Energy prior to construction, or prior to

operation as a base load powerplant,

that such powerplant has the capability

to use coal or another alternate fuel.

Such certification establishes

compliance with section 201(a) as of the

date filed with the Department of

Energy. The Secretary is required to

publish a notice in the Federal Register

that a certification has been filed. The

following owner/operator of the

proposed new baseload powerplant has

filed a self-certification in acccordance

with section 201(d).

Owner: Denver City Energy

Associates, L.P.

Operator: Denver City Energy

Associates, L.P.

Location: Amarillo, Texas.

Plant Configuration: combined-cycle.

Capacity: 489 megawatts.

Fuel: Natural gas.

Purchasing Entities: Golden Spread

Electric Generating Cooperative, Inc.

(GSE).

In-Service Date: Simple-cycle mode—

Winter of 1998–99 Combined-cycle

mode—Summer of 1999.

Issued in Washington, D.C., September 29,

1997.

Anthony J. Como,

Director, Electric Power Regulation, Office of

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

Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.

[FR Doc. 97–26279 Filed 10–2–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P