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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104123-104125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30335]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Intent Regarding Launching a Carbon Transport Research, 
Development and Demonstration Consortium

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), 
Department of Energy (DOE), is issuing this NOI to notify interested 
parties of its intent to launch a ``Carbon Transport Research, 
Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Consortium (the Consortium)'' to 
identify and coordinate carbon transport RD&D efforts (e.g., pipeline, 
rail, truck, ship, and barge transportation); facilitate communication 
among stakeholders; and compile and curate information in an open 
access platform. The DOE initially sought input from stakeholders 
through a Request for Information DE-FOA-0003330 (RFI 3330) 
(www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ffedconnect%2f%3fdoc%3dDE-FOA-0003330%26agency%3dDOE&doc=DE-FOA-0003330&agency=DOE) issued on 
September 18, 2024. Through this NOI, the DOE is establishing a second 
opportunity to obtain information that could be used to inform DOE's 
decisions on the initiation of the Consortium and to gauge interest in 
participating in the Consortium. FECM intends to launch the Consortium 
after reviewing responses to RFI 3330 and this NOI. Parties that 
express interest in joining the Consortium, either through this NOI or 
through RFI 3330, will be contacted via email with instructions on how 
to officially register to join.

DATES: Written comments, and information are requested by January 21, 
2025.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments electronically to 
[email protected] and include ``DOE Carbon Transport Consortium'' in 
the subject line of the email. Only electronic responses will be 
accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be addressed to Robert 
Smith, at 202-597-4058 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Drivers for a Carbon Transport RD&D Consortium

    In line with the goal of broad stakeholder engagement and its 2022 
Strategic Vision,\1\ DOE FECM hosted the Workshop for Applied Research 
in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Transport \2\ in Dublin, Ohio, from February 
21-22, 2023 (the Workshop). Approximately 100 individuals from Federal 
agencies, industry, academia, nongovernmental organizations, national 
laboratories, and other stakeholder groups participated in the Workshop 
to share individual perspectives and provide input about the following 
objectives:
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    \1\ United States Department of Energy. (2022). Strategic 
Vision: The Role of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management in Achieving 
Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions. www.energy.gov/fecm/strategic-
vision-role-fecm-achieving-net-zero-greenhouse-gas-
emissions#:~:text=Reports%20and%20Studies-
Strategic%20Vision%3A%20The%20Role%20of%20FECM%20in,Net%2DZero%20Gree
nhouse%20Gas%20Emissions&text=FECM%27s%20priority%20is%20reaching%20t
he,greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20by%202050.
    \2\ United States Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy 
and Carbon Management. (2023). Roadmap for CO2 Transport Fundamental 
Research Workshop. www.netl.doe.gov/23TFRW-proceedings.
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     Identify near-term challenges and RD&D areas of interest;
     Identify lab- and pilot-scale research activities of 
interest;
     Identify potential participants in ongoing and future RD&D 
efforts; and
     Identify whether a carbon transport research consortium 
would advance carbon capture, utilization, and storage deployment, and 
could address potential barriers to future success.
    The key result of the Workshop was the identification of four broad 
topics of interest (TOIs) for fundamental and applied RD&D in 
CO2 transport:
    (a) Impact of CO2 impurities on asset integrity;
    (b) CO2-specific leak detection and emergency response 
protocols;
    (c) Repurposing of existing infrastructure for CO2 
service; and
    (d) Developing and connecting with other modes of CO2 
transport/intermodal hubs.
    The Workshop participants also encouraged FECM to consider 
developing a carbon transport RD&D consortium (``the Consortium'') to 
facilitate information sharing that could result in coordinated RD&D 
efforts on the TOIs among stakeholders.

II. Consortium Participants

    The Consortium is intended to consist of a group of domestic (U.S.) 
based or incorporated individuals or organizations that are working 
together to achieve a common objective. It would be structured around 
committees that would share information about relevant ongoing RD&D 
activities, conduct gap analyses, and promote synergies which could 
lead to research project formation

[[Page 104124]]

and facilitate the performance of peer reviews of projects.
    The Consortium is intended to comprise a range of U.S. based or 
incorporated individuals or organizations including but not limited to:

 Federal agencies
 Tribal governments or sovereign nations
 State agencies
 National laboratories
 Academia
 Non-government organizations
 National standards organizations
 Industry owners and facility operators
 Service providers and equipment vendors
 Trade associations
 Manufacturing entities (e.g., pipe fabricators)
 Labor unions

III. Benefits to Joining

    The following benefits could be realized through the Consortium.

1. Information Sharing and Collaboration

    The Consortium would facilitate the sharing of information across 
organizations. This would support awareness and save time as new 
knowledge, and technologies are developed.

2. Increased Lab Visibility

    The Consortium would provide an opportunity for various 
laboratories to increase awareness surrounding their specific 
expertise, capabilities, and applicable ongoing work in support of 
developing future collaborative opportunities surrounding areas of 
interest relevant to CO2 transportation.

3. Improve Chances To Achieve Goals

    The Consortium would bring together professionals working towards 
mutual goals resulting in better collaboration and cooperation among 
members. Diverse opinions and individual perspectives for solutions 
would be encouraged, which would ensure that topics of interest are 
addressed appropriately.

4. Growing Network of Knowledge

    The Consortium would grow a network of quality connections and 
knowledge by providing increased access to expertise, organization, 
peer reviewed knowledge and data, and single mode and multimodal 
transport companies.
    The Consortium would create opportunities for attracting new 
members over time, bringing expertise to fill identified RD&D gaps.

IV. Consortium Structure

    Three standing committees are envisioned. FECM would be the 
Consortium manager and co-chair for some of the Consortium committees. 
FECM would lead and execute the Consortium with technical coordination 
and logistical/administrative support from the National Energy 
Technology Laboratory (NETL). It is anticipated that the Consortium 
would have one in-person annual meeting with committee meetings that 
would meet periodically (primarily virtually).
    Federal RD&D Steering Committee--This committee would consist of 
representatives from DOE, and other U.S. Government agencies including 
government-owned and government-operated labs. The Federal RD&D 
Steering Committee would be chaired by FECM and would advise FECM on 
suggested research activities for future funding actions.
    Committee for Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers--
This committee would consist of representatives from government-owned 
but contractor-operated labs of the Department of Energy (generally 
referred to as ``National Labs''). This committee would update the 
Federal RD&D Steering Committee on the progress of the related funded 
efforts at the National Labs.
    Committee for Non-Governmental Organizations, Industry, and Other 
Subject Matter Experts--This committee is comprised of representatives 
from non-government organizations, private sector corporations, or 
individuals independent from the U.S. Government but based or 
incorporated in the U.S. Committee members must be a U.S. citizen. This 
committee would share facts or information with the Consortium about 
ongoing or planned research, and the Consortium would collate this 
information with its activities. This committee would not provide 
advice or recommendations to the Consortium or to any of the other 
committees.

V. Membership Requirements

    These requirements can be found on the following web page and will 
be utilized by FECM to review interested individuals or organizations 
who wish to join.
    Please visit: https://edx.netl.doe.gov/sites/transportconsortium.

VI. Consortium Web Page

    The envisioned Consortium web page will further describe the 
Consortium's mission, activities, and schedule of events; elicit 
membership; post public domain information; and may provide an on-line 
forum for information sharing. All respondents to this RFI will be 
notified when the Consortium web page becomes active.

VII. Questions for Request for Information

    Through this NOI and RFI 3330, FECM seeks input from organizations 
that may be involved in CO2 transport RD&D and interested in 
becoming a member of this Consortium. The following questions are 
provided to guide responses. You may answer as few or as many of the 
questions as you would like. Please use the numbers as headings in your 
response to the greatest extent possible and refer to the questions in 
the body of your response. This helps save time for both the responder 
and the reviewers. Please be as specific as possible in all responses.
    1. What is your level of interest in becoming a member of the 
Consortium and/or a member of one or more of the three Committees 
described in the RFI?
    Organizations and/or individuals must provide the following 
information when expressing interest in joining the Consortium.

 First Name
 Last Name
 Position Title
 Entity Type
 Company/Organization Name
 Email Address

    2. Are you or your organization involved with or interested in 
research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities pertinent to 
the four TOIs identified in the February 2023 Workshop for Applied 
Research in CO2 Transport? If so, please respond separately to each TOI 
(a, b, c, or d) as noted below:

(a) Impact of CO2 Impurities on Asset Integrity
(b) CO2-Specific Leak Detection and Emergency Response 
Protocols
(c) Repurposing of Existing Infrastructure for CO2 Service
(d) Developing and Connecting with Other Modes of CO2 
Transport/Intermodal Hubs

    Please include the following information in your responses, if 
applicable:

 CO2 transport mode
 Project title
 Organization or principal investigator(s) performing the 
research project
 Main objective(s)
 Description of anticipated project outputs
 URL to public project page or project publications

[[Page 104125]]

 Project funding total
 Funding entity name
 Funding entity point of contact

    3. Are you or your organization involved with or interested in 
applied research, development, and demonstration activities relevant to 
CO2 transport that does not fall into one of the TOIs described in 
Question 2 above? If so, please suggest a topic of interest that most 
appropriately describes the RD&D area in which you are working or 
interested, and include the following information in your responses, if 
applicable:

 CO2 transport mode
 Project title
 Organization or principal investigator(s) performing the 
research project
 Main objective(s)
 Description of anticipated project outputs
 URL to public project page w/wo reporting or to access project 
publications
 Project funding total
 Funding entity name
 Funding entity point of contact

    4. What would you find most valuable from having and participating 
in such a consortium? Please let us know what you think.

VIII. Confidential Business Information

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that 
they believe to be confidential and exempt by law from public 
disclosure should submit via email two well-marked copies: One copy of 
the document marked ``confidential'' including all the information 
believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non-
confidential'' with the information believed to be confidential 
deleted. Submit these documents via email. DOE will make its own 
determination about the confidential status of the information and 
treat it according to its determination.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on December 
12, 2024, by Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil 
Energy and Carbon Management, pursuant to delegated authority from the 
Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and date 
is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in 
compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the 
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to 
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as 
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on December 16, 2024.
Jennifer Hartzell,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-30335 Filed 12-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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