Office of Fossil Energy Grant: R&D for Advanced Gasification, Turbine, and Fuel Cell Technologies

SEC. 506. Specific projects contained in the report of the Committee
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives accompanying
this Act (H. Rept. 111?203) that are considered congressional
earmarks for purposes of clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, when intended to be awarded
to a for-profit entity, shall be awarded under a full and open
competition.

Furthermore, the Conference Report (H.Rpt. 111-278, September 30, 2009) identified twenty (20) Congressionally Directed Fossil Energy Projects (CDPs). Within this list were the following three (3) specific CDPs that were targeted for award to for-profit entities:
? Innovations for Low-Cost Gasification Systems (The estimated maximum DOE funding level for this project is $720,500);
? Innovations in Control Technologies for Synthesis Gas Combustion (The estimated maximum DOE funding level for this project is $288,000); and
? Research and Development of Fuel Cells for Electricity from Fossil- and Bio-Based Fuels (The estimated maximum DOE funding level for this project is $481,000).

As a result of this statute, DOE?s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is issuing this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled: ?Office of Fossil Energy FY2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act R&D Projects? to solicit applications in the following three (3) Program Areas: Topic Area 1 – Gasification, Topic Area 2 ? Turbines, and Topic Area 3 – Fuel Cells.

(1)The Gasification Technologies Program goal is to be able to sequester 90% of the carbon from coal with minimal impact to the cost of electricity. Reducing the cost of oxygen production is critical to this vision. Applicants are sought for research that will accelerate the development of high temperature oxygen production technologies which can be integrated into a state-of-the-art gasification system and supports the Gasification Program goals for significantly reduced capital costs and increased efficiency for gasification based power. DOE is especially interested in the most reliable and efficient system configurations that can also obtain significant capital cost reduction, and technologies expected to be ready for commercially relevant tests by 2012.

(2) The Advanced Turbine Program?s research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) portfolio is designed to develop revolutionary, near-zero-emission, advanced turbine technologies operating with coal derived synthesis gas (syngas) or other high hydrogen fuels. In order to realize the environmental and fuel stock benefits from fuel flexibility, the combustion process for syngas must be efficiently controlled. Therefore, Applicants are sought for the research and development of adaptive control techniques to mitigate the instabilities common to syngas combustion.

(3) The Fuel Cell Program’s primary mission is to develop fuel cell technology to enable the generation of efficient, cost-effective electricity from domestic coal with near-zero water consumption, atmospheric emissions of CO2 and air pollutants. In order to demonstrate the fuel flexibility and modularity of high temperature fuel cells, applications are sought for the development of a 1-5kW fuel cell system prototype designed to operate on fossil and biomass-derived fuels. The system shall be less than 10kW, and may include fabrication and operation on a proffered biofuel.