[Federal Register: January 12, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 8)]
[Notices]
[Page 2032-2033]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ja06-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Hydrogen Production Cost Independent Review
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Request for information and notice of independent review.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) today gives notice of a request
for information and an independent progress assessment by the DOE
Hydrogen Program in meeting research and development (R&D) cost goals
for production of hydrogen using distributed natural gas reforming
technology. A review panel is being assembled by the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL) Hydrogen Program Systems Integrator to review
the current state of distributed natural gas reforming technology and
costs. Based on the findings of the panel, the Systems Integrator will
submit a written report to DOE on or before April 1, 2006. Position
papers regarding the cost of hydrogen production via distributed
natural gas reforming will be accepted by the Systems Integrator for
consideration by the review panel. In addition, the panel may hear
presentations from submitters as part of the assessment.
DATES: Written position papers for consideration by the review panel
regarding this topic must be received by February 1, 2006. The NREL
Systems Integrator must receive requests to speak before the review
panel no later than February 15, 2006. Attendees at the review panel
will be limited to the presenter(s), the independent review panel, NREL
Systems Integrator, and DOE representatives.
ADDRESSES: Written position papers regarding the topic and requests to
speak before the review panel are welcomed. Please submit 2 hardcopies
of the position paper to: NREL Systems Integrator, U.S. Department of
Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Mail
Stop 1732, Golden, CO 80401-3393, Attn: Dale Gardner. Requests to
present before the panel should be sent to Mr. Gardner via e-mail to
dale_gardner@nrel.gov or Phone (303) 275-3020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Independent review panel and process questions--Mr. Dale Gardner,
U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617
Cole Boulevard, Mail Stop 1732, Golden, CO 80401-3393, Attn: Dale
Gardner, Phone (303) 275-3020, e-mail dale_gardner@nrel.gov.
Distributed natural gas reforming technology questions--Mr. Pete
Devlin, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-2H, Attn: Pete Devlin, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, Phone: (202) 586-
4905, e-mail peter.devlin@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of DOE's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells
and Infrastructure Technologies Program is to research, develop and
validate fuel cell and hydrogen production, delivery, and storage
technologies such that hydrogen from diverse domestic resources will be
used in a clean, safe, reliable and affordable manner in fuel cell
vehicles; central
[[Page 2033]]
station electric power production; distributed thermal electric; and
combined heat and power applications. The President's Hydrogen Fuel
Initiative accelerates research, development and demonstration of
hydrogen production, delivery and storage technologies to support an
industry commercialization decision on the hydrogen economy by 2015.
The FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership is working toward an industry
commercialization decision on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2015.
The transition to a hydrogen economy will take decades. During this
transition, it is anticipated that a primary source of hydrogen for use
in transportation by light duty fuel cell vehicles will be the
distributed reforming of hydrogen from natural gas. This method is
anticipated because (1) reforming is already a mature technology for
some applications, (2) it conceivably can be cost competitive with
other fuels and technologies in the transition timeframe, (3) the
natural gas feedstock is accessable and dispersed, and (4) distributed
production avoids a large scale hydrogen delivery/distribution
infrastructures during the transition period. The following table shows
the DOE cost goal status and targets over time for this production
method. As calendar year 2005 comes to an end, an assessment of
progress toward the $3.00/gge H2 target is needed.
Table 3.1.2.--Technical Targets: Distributed Production of Hydrogen From Natural Gas \a\ \b\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calendar year
--------------------------------
Characteristics Units 2003 \c\ 2005 \d\ 2010 \d\
status target target
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Total Hydrogen Cost............................ $/gge H2...................... 5.00 3.00 2.50
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(See http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/mypp/pdfs/production.pdf, page 3-10, for complete table
and footnotes).
DOE has access to the results of R&D and demonstration projects in
this technology area that it has funded to date, but additional
information is requested from industry, academia, associations, and
entities who are otherwise involved in aspects of distributed natural
gas reforming. Position papers are limited to 10 pages maximum. A Cost
Data Table is being assembled to help determine the current state of
distributed natural gas reforming technologies. This table must be
included in the position papers and/or presentations. The table can be
downloaded from the DOE Hydrogen Program Web site at http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/
docs/natural--gas--cost--sheet.xls. At a
minimum, a submitter (position paper, presentation, or both) should
provide this table filled out to the maximum extent possible. DOE
recognizes that some submitters may not be able to complete all fields.
For example, a company that develops only a subsystem/component of a
reformer will only be able to address those table elements involved in
that subsystem/component technology. Briefing materials should be
forwarded to the NREL Systems Integrator for consideration as a
presentation to the review panel. The review panel will meet during the
February 15 through March 15 time frame to hear presentations that
include data to support the presenter's position.
If confidential/proprietary information is provided in position
papers or presentations, it must be clearly marked as such by the
submitter. The independent review panel will be screened for conflicts
of interest and each member will have completed confidentiality
agreements to protect any information submitted. In addition, all
materials will be returned to the submitter when the assessment is
complete. The final assessment by the panel will be publicly available
and will not contain any information which is identified by a submitter
as confidential or proprietary.
For more information about the DOE Hydrogen Program and related
hydrogen production activities visit the program's Web site at http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov
.
Issued in Golden, CO on January 3, 2005.
Andrea K. Lucero,
Acting Procurement Director, Golden Field Office.
[FR Doc. 06-265 Filed 1-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P