Request for Comments on NIST Plan

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Subject: UFTO – Request for Comments on NIST Plan
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:23:16 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

Gerry FitzPatrick called today, and says he’d appreciate any feedback or comments on the NIST Plan that many of you have seen. They have a review meeting coming up soon, and industry input would be very helpful to them. It’s also an opportunity to influence what they’re working on, and to forge stronger links with the program there at NIST.

Repeated below is the note about this from last November. I’m sure Jerry would be happy to rush you a copy of the plan, if you don’t have one.

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| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
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Subject: UFTO Note — NIST Strategic Plan
Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 10:42:35 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

NIST Strategic Plan for Electric Power Industry

The Electrical Systems Group at NIST has prepared a Draft “Strategic Plan For Measurement Support for the U.S. Electric-Power Industry,” July 31, 1996. It is an attempt to identify the highest priority technical needs of the industry during these times of dramatic change, and particularly where NIST can make a significant contribution.

Based on a comprehensive review of needs in areas of power system efficiency and reliability, environmental protection and power quality, the report focuses on implications for NIST. It may prove a useful benchmark for your own technology needs identification purposes. More immediately, however, NIST is anxious to have a greater degree of input, review and comment from the industry, and will happily send you a copy. You can relay your request through UFTO, or directly to:

James K. Olthoff, 301-975-2431 james.olthoff@nist.gov or
Jerry Fitzpatrick, 301-975-2737 fitzpatrick@nist.gov

Bellcore Developing Specs for Flywheel Batteries for Use in Telecomm

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Subject: UFTO Note – Bellcore Developing Specs for Flywheel Batteries for Use in Telecomm
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:33:55 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth <edbeards@ufto.com>

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Bellcore Developing Specs for Flywheel Batteries for Use in Telecomm

Bellcore (now owned by SAIC, but still representing the technical needs of the RBOCs) is developing what they call “generic requirements” for flywheel batteries to meet growing needs for extremely reliable back up power on the telecomm system. The key goals are high reliability, low maintenance and long life in what they call “outside plant batteries,” which support equipment in remote locations. Systems would range from 0.1 to 5 kWh, over several hours (i.e. relatively low power). Their view is that they have an existing need that provides a good first application and sizable first market. Their leadership could prove useful to the overall development of flywheel batteries, which may take on a much larger role in storage, power quality and uninterruptible power applications, where utilities have a strong interest.

They are inviting outside parties to participate with them in this process, as outlined in the announcement attached below. The cost schedule hasn’t been determined as yet.

Bellcore has had very little contact with utilities thus far, but they would like to, particularly to take into account issues of seismic effects. (Only one utility was represented at the safety forum in November 1995. Incidentally, the documentation of that meeting is available from Bellcore for a fee of $200.)

_______________________________________________________
INVITATION TO FUND AND PARTICIPATE
BELLCORE GENERIC REQUIREMENTS TO SUPPORT FLYWHEEL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (FESS) (NEW GR)

Bellcore has been active in the potential use of Flywheel Energy Storage Systems (FESS) in telecommunications for over three years. This was motivated by our involvement in dealing with the many problems associated with valve-regulated lead-acid batteries in the telecommunications outside plant environment. Bellcore envisions FESSs as eventually replacing those batteries in that environment and perhaps many other applications.

Bellcore convened a symposium on the subject of employing FESS in telecommunications in July 1995 in San Diego, and held a safety forum on FESS on November 15, 1995 at Bellcore’s facility in Chester, New Jersey. Bellcore has an experimental FESS test facility in Chester and has an operating 5kwh system and some smaller FESSs operating experimentally. Bellcore conducted a basic materials investigation in 1996 that consisted of iterative computer modeling and testing of the impact of carbon composites into steel containment targets. This has led to a three-dimensional finite element model that enables us to identify generic design requirements for containment regimes.

Bellcore now invites all interested members of the flywheel energy storage system industry and local exchange and interexchange carriers, and any other members of the telecommunications industry to fund and participate in the development of a new generic requirements document to specify functionality and operability requirements for FESSs in telecommunications applications.

Bellcore proposes to convene a Bellcore Technical Forum (BTF) for funders to address development of a new Bellcore GR covering proposed requirements for FESS applications. The BTF would consist of one or more meetings to:

– Scope out the issues associated with FESS functionality in telecommunications, as well as operational issues, such as Network Equipment Building Standards (NEBS), Lightning and Earthquake concerns, power concerns, and physical design. – Develop a schedule for funders’ participation in development of a draft GR – Determine if additional Industry input will be necessary – Produce and publish a Bellcore GR on FESS in Telecommunications.

It is expected that the development of the GR will take most of 1997 to complete.

Funders will have the opportunity to provide nonproprietary input into the technical descriptions of the material, to comment on all draft text, to receive the GR and Issues List Reports(ILRs), if any are funded, pertaining to this release of the GR, and to exercise other rights and undertake responsibilities as provided by the applicable funding agreements with Bellcore and by law. Interactions beyond any meetings with funders may be via letters, conference calls, faxes or electronic mail.

It should be noted that Bellcore does not make procurement decisions for any Bellcore client company. Bellcore activities that involve industry interactions in no way indicate a potential purchase or selection decision by any Bellcore client company.

Bellcore reserves the right to alter or withdraw this proposal if there is insufficient interest in this invitation.

If your company is interested in funding and participating in the development of these proposed Bellcore Generic Requirements, please contact Bellcore by March 31, 1997:

Lawrence M. Slavin Bellcore 445 South Street, MCC 1C-117B Morristown, NJ 07960
201-829-4330 201-829-5886 (FAX) lslavin@notes.cc.bellcore.com

Followup on SC CO2/concrete

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Subject: UFTO-followup on sc CO2/concrete
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:51:49 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

Here’s the Los Alamos Press release, issued today (it was delayed a week). The web site for Materials Technology Ltd. I gave in my earlier note had a typo — the correct address is http://www.mtlstech.com (I left out the ‘s’)

Suggest you get the Nov 96 Sci American article, also avail. online at http://www.sciam.com/1196issue/1196techbus1.html

When someone’s ready, I recommend a call to Roger Jones, the principal at Materials Tech… he’s great to talk to. Keep me posted!
————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Los Alamos paves the way for better cement

Laboratory researchers are developing an environmentally friendly process that hardens cement and creates a new class of strong and lightweight building and fabrication materials.

The Laboratory process transforms common portland or lime cemented materials and clays by treatment with carbon dioxide under high pressure, making them chemically stable, nearly impermeable and stronger. The process also makes inexpensive building products out of waste materials, including fly ash from coal-burning power plants, alum sludge from water treatment plants and blast furnace slag. Treated cement also may improve the safe storage of radioactive waste.

The process, patented by Roger Jones Jr. of Materials Technology Limited of Reno, Nev., may lead to new building materials, consumer goods, auto parts and other products. According to Jones, the process creates recyclable materials that will be competitive with certain metals, plastics and wood products.

Under increasing pressure and temperature, carbon dioxide gas first reaches a liquid phase, then enters a region called “supercritical” where it has useful properties of both gas and liquid. Supercritical carbon dioxide expands to fill its container and diffuses into the tiniest pores like a gas. On the other hand, because supercritical carbon dioxide has a high density like a liquid, it can dissolve substances and carry them. In this case, it grabs water molecules and pulls them out of the cement.

Chemically, the process converts the hydroxide of cement to a carbonate, with water as the byproduct. This chemical reaction occurs naturally, too, but may take thousands of years.

“The cement in the Great Wall of China has not yet reached a chemically neutral state,” said Craig Taylor, principal investigator for the Labortory’s Supercritical Fluids Development Center in Organic Chemistry (CST-12). “But the supercritical carbon dioxide treatment achieves the chemically stable condition in minutes or hours. It’s not really cement anymore, but a whole new material. It is really pourable limestone.”

Taylor demonstrates the effect of supercritical carbon dioxide with two chunks of bonded fly ash, a waste product from coal-burning power plants. Set in a pan of water, the untreated sample quickly crumbles and dissolves, obviously useless as a building material. The treated sample, however, remains impervious to the water. Treated fly ash could make a strong, lightweight and economically attractive material for wall board, flooring and other construction products.

Large-scale use of supercritical carbon dioxide is not new to industry. For example, commercial operations have applied the same technology for years to make vegetable oils and to decaffeinate coffee. So Taylor does not foresee difficulties treating large volumes of cement blocks or massive columns and slabs. Even the U.S. Air Force has expressed interest in the technology — for building high-strength concrete slabs for runways.

Using supercritical carbon dioxide through a high pressure nozzle, large surfaces of existing concrete structures might be hardened and sealed against penetration of chemicals, improving wear-resistance and durability. The treated surfaces will resist chipping or scaling because the transition from the thin, very hard exterior to normal strength interior concrete would be gradual.

Large amounts of carbon dioxide produced by coal and oil burning power plants and by gasoline burning cars are blamed in part for a trend toward global warming, called the greenhouse effect. But the cement treatment process, by permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locking it into building products, actually helps reduce the impact of coal and petrochemical use. (Total curing of 2.2 pounds of cement permanently removes about 25 gallons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.) Research is under way to use both the fly ash and carbon dioxide expelled by coal-burning plants to produce construction materials.

“Like living coral, now we can take carbon dioxide out of the environment and build our houses with it. The process is good for ourselves and good for the environment,” said Taylor.

The Lab’s continuing role in development of the improved cement will be to optimize treatment conditions and help design a treatment facility. And researchers see a major new area of materials science to pursue.

“It’s a new bulk material not well characterized,” said Taylor. “Materials scientists will be busy with this for decades.”

Since supercritical carbon dioxide readily dissolves many polymers, the process can be used to drive polymers into the surfaces of products made from cements, ceramics or other water-based pastes. Polymer-impregnated structures are better able to resist shock and impact forces and could be useful for a range of products from buildings to auto bodies.

The Laboratory, with the only operational plutonium facility in the country, also is interested in the chemistry of cement because radioactive waste often is mixed with cement for long-term storage and disposal. Because regular cement contains water, however, chemical reactions occur inside these cemented wastes, sometimes resulting in a hazardous buildup of hydrogen gas. If the cemented waste could be treated with the supercritical carbon dioxide process, dangerous chemical reactions would be eliminated.

The Lab’s supercritical carbon dioxide research is funded internally through the Nuclear Materials Stabilization Technologies group. Commercial research continues through agreements with Materials Technology Limited and Custom Building Products of Seal Beach, Calif.

DOE 2nd Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium & Expo

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Subject: DOE 2nd Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium & Expo
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 11:46:46 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth <edbeards@ufto.com>

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

The DOE Office of Industrial Technology is holding its 2nd annual symposium in February in Washington DC. A program summary is shown below, taken directly from the OIT web site. This event looks like it could be valuable for your Industrial Customer folks.

Additional details can be gotten on line, or contact Energetics Inc, Columbia MD, 410-290-0370, fax 301-621-3329, and ask them to send you a copy of the full program brochure.

*************************************************
http://www.oit.doe.gov/News/expo97.html

2nd Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium & Expo
SPONSORED BY THE OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

February 25-27, 1997 Hyatt Regency Crystal City Arlington, Virginia

The two-day conference will spotlight the public-private R&D; partnerships that are in place in seven key process industries: aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metalcasting, petroleum refining, and steel.

This year’s theme, Turning Industry Visions Into Reality, strikes a chord with all technology and business managers. Today, more than ever, companies are looking to leverage every dollar by teaming up with other organizations and sharing technology risks. The 2nd Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium and Exposition will bring manufacturers, suppliers, and customers together with key representatives of research laboratories, universities, and government programs to facilitate networking and the formation of research and technology alliances.

Find out how these industries will be gaining a competitive edge in rapidly changing global markets.

See how the industries of the future will meet the energy, environmental, and economic challenges of tomorrow.

Learn how collaborative R&D; addresses industry needs and accelerates the development of crosscutting technologies such as advanced turbines, textiles, advanced materials and composites, forging, heat treating, and welding.

Visit the exhibition hall, where exhibitors will showcase their technologies, products, and services.

(These headings are links in the web page) Invitation Background Information Exhibition Information Conference Schedule Post-Expo Workshops and Activities Sponsors Registration and Arrangements

Supercritical CO2 and flyash

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Subject: UFTO NOTE — Supercritical CO2 and flyash
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 18:06:44 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth <edbeards@ufto.com>

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Supercritical CO2 turns flyash into valuable products, toughens common materials

UFTO has established contact with a small company in Reno NV, Materials Technology Ltd., which has patented a process that uses supercritical CO2 to harden and seal concrete, and turns wastes like fly ash and sludge into materials which are strong, fireproof and waterproof.

Los Alamos National Lab has been actively testing the process for use in radioactive waste storage, and is issuing a press release today, January 20, citing its remarkable simplicity and tremendous implications and wide ranging applications. Stories may appear in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere in the national press. Also see Scientific American, November 96, page 40, for a good overview of the technology.

Basically, SC CO2 has zero surface tension, and soaks completely through materials, effecting chemical and structural changes instantly that otherwise can take centuries (e.g., in the case of concrete–which hardens gradually over time).

The company met recently with top officials at DOE and received an enthusiastic response. UFTO has developed close contacts with the principals, who are looking for utilities to work with them. (One concept is to co-locate production of these materials at power plants, and use their ash and CO2.)

I have additional information. You can also contact them directly, or browse their Web site at www.mtltech.com.

Contact: Roger Jones, Materials Technology Ltd. Reno NV 702-852-2320, fax 702-852-3035

SEAB TF Meeting Announced

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Subject: UFTO Note – SEAB TF Meeting Announced
Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 15:51:51 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth <edbeards@ufto.com>

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Here is the official announcement of the first meeting of the SEAB Task Force on Reliability, adapted from the Federal Register of Dec 30.

Note that the meeting is open, and public participation is permitted.

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
Electric System Reliability Task Force

Thursday, January 16, 1997, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

JW Marriott Hotel
Capital Ballroom – Salon E
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard C. Burrow
Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (AB-1)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585
(202) 586-1709 richard.burrow@hq.doe.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The electric power industry is in the midst of a complex transition to competition, which will induce many far-reaching changes in the structure of the industry and the institutions which regulate it. This transition raises many reliability issues, as new entities emerge in the power markets and as generation becomes less integrated with transmission.

Purpose of the Task Force: The purpose of the Electric System Reliability Task Force is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board regarding the critical institutional, technical, and policy issues that need to be addressed in order to maintain the reliability of the nation’s bulk electric system in the context of a more competitive industry.

Subject: UFTO Note – SEAB TF Meeting Announced Page 2 of 2
Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 15:51:51 -0800

Tentative Agenda

8:30 – 9:15 Opening Remarks
Hazel R. O’Leary, Secretary of Energy
Bob Hanfling, Chairman, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
Phil Sharp, Chairman, Electric System Reliability Task Force

9:15 – 9:30 Task Force Member Introductions

9:30 – 9:45 Break

9:45 – 10:30 Institutional Reliability Issues
Mike Gent, National Electric Reliability Council

10:30 – 11:15 Technical Reliability Issues
Karl Stahlkopf, Electric Power Research Institute

11:15 – 11:45 State Reliability Perspectives
Duncan Kincheloe, Missouri Public Utility Commission

11:45 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 – 1:30 Federal Policy Issues
Charles B. Curtis, Deputy Secretary of Energy

1:30 – 2:00 Public Comment

2:00 – 4:30 Development of a Task Force Work Plan

4:30 Adjourn

This tentative agenda is subject to change.

The final agenda will be available at the meeting. Public Participation: The Chairman of the Task Force is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will, in the Chairman’s judgment, facilitate the orderly conduct of business. During its meeting in Washington, D.C. the Task Force welcomes public comment. Members of the public will be heard in the order in which they sign up at the beginning of the meeting. The Task Force will make every effort to hear the views of all interested parties. Written comments may be submitted to David Cheney, Acting Executive Director, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, AB-1, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585.

Minutes: Minutes and a transcript of the meeting will be available for public review and copying approximately 30 days following the meeting at the Freedom of Information Public Reading Room, 1E-190 Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday except Federal holidays.

December 20, 1996

Happy New Year (& Electric Carpets)

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Subject: UFTO Happy New Year (& Electric Carpets)
Date: Thu, 02 Jan 1997 12:19:58 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Happy New Year!

This is a quick note to say hello as we begin the new year.

1996 has been exciting.
– Participation in UFTO is at an all time high
– Email has replaced virtually all hard copy correspondence
– The web site is operational
– We held a ground-breaking workshop with the national labs
– We’re closely coupled into the workings of the new DOE Task Force on
Reliability
– Many of you are pursuing programs and deals with various labs and
startups.

I look forward to finding new and better ways to make UFTO valuable and important to you and your company.

As you know, I’m constantly on the lookout for significant new developments, technologies, and opportunities to bring to your attention. These stories can come from networking with our friends at the National Labs, from accidental encounters with stories in magazines, the press or the internet, or from other personal and professional contacts.

What makes UFTO different from other clipping services or technology newsletters? With the glut of information available, the most important difference is selectivity. Knowing your areas of strategic and technical interest, I choose things that will be worthwhile for you to review and pursue, or pass along to others in your company.

Second, in most cases I make inquiries and establish contact with the technology developers. This way, we not only get a sense what’s behind the “press release”, but we also begin a relationship that puts us in a preferred position for further dealings.

Please tell me how well this is working for you, and whether you would rather have me be more or less selective in the future, or if there are areas you’d particularly like to focus on in ’97.

———————————————–

And now, for something completely different:
Here is a story I saw on the web a few days ago. We’ve all heard of magic carpets and electric blankets (and electric vehicles), but the idea of an electric carpet caught me completely by surprise–have you ever heard of it? It would seem they are a common item in Japan. Wonder if/when they’ll show up in this country…(I haven’t made contacts on this one)..

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ANALYSIS/ Efficient electric carpets win popularity
Product Spotlight: Nikkei Marketing Journal, Dec. 26, 1996

Electric carpets have become one of the more popular alternatives for heating rooms. Makers specializing in this product are doing well, and other consumer electronics makers making efforts to develop high value-added electric carpets.

Sharp Corp.’s HJ-G20A-C, at a suggested retail price of 35,000 yen, is a popular example. The carpet requires only half the power of conventional models, and it is treated with an anti-slip coating. It comes with a beige gabardine cover. Sharp is now looking to develop even more energy-efficient models.

Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. has won over consumers with four models: the smaller DR241-A and DR241-C, both priced at 33,200 yen, and the DR341-A and DR341-C, both priced at 44,300 yen. These carpets also receive anti-slip treatments and consume only about half as much electricity as earlier models. Their insulation cushions offer improved comfort and heat-transfer capability. Matsushita developed a gabardine cover (in blue or beige) with a cashmere-like feel that has proven very popular. The firm plans to develop other, larger carpets with similar features.

Toshiba Home Technology Corp. employs a two-layer insulating material on the bottom of the heating element of its offerings. The carpets reduce heat loss through the floor by about 30%, lowering power consumption by about 25%. The company offers one mode in which it uses only about one-fourth the electricity of conventional electric carpets. Toshiba’s CK-20FS (C) and CK-20FS (CT) are both popular. They have a mainly beige natural coloring with a cubic design pattern. The anti-slip carpet is made from polyester, but with a feel like cotton. Toshiba has sold more than it expected. “Our carpet’s comfort and energy-saving functions have matched consumer demands,” claimed one company official. Toshiba expects sales of the carpets this winter to increase 5% year-on-year.

Climate-Change, Fuel-Cell, Cost-Sharing, Grants

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Subject: UFTO Note – Climate-Change, Fuel-Cell, Cost-Sharing, Grants
Date: Thu, 02 Jan 1997 16:43:58 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

Hot off the wire, from Commerce Business Daily
(I fixed a lot of typos, and split it into paragraphs.)

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

CLIMATE CHANGE FUEL CELL PROGRAM

Category: B–Special Studies and Analyses–Not R&D (PROCUREMENTS)

Date Published: December 30, 1996

Contact: US ARMY ARDEC, TACOM, AMSTA-AR-PCW-B, BLDG. 10, PICATINNY ARSENAL NJ 07806 POC Christine Bernosky email=cbernos, Contract Specialist, 201-724-2754, Paul Milenkowic, Contracting Officer,201-724-5391 (Site Code W15BW9)

Synopsis: CLIMATE CHANGE FUEL CELL PROGRAM SOL 066&&&-9612-0012 The U.S. Army ARDEC is planning a cost sharing program in the form of multiple grants in support of the Climate Change Fuel Cell Program. This program involves using fuel cells in power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the efficient use of fossil fuels. In an effort to reduce pollutants to the environment, stimulate commercialization of stationary fuel cell power plants, and utilize fuel cells in unique mission needs for DOD, Congress has established a grant program to support fuel cell demonstration projects.

The Climate Change Fuel Cell Program consists of installing, operating, and demonstrating a fuel cell. Applicants can utilize DOD or non-DOD sites; however, DOD installations must partner with a private entity. Priority will be given to those applicants who use a DOD installation. Foreign participation is limited to those entities which will provide power to a DOD facility within their national borders.

The applicant cannot be a developer of fuel cell technology or a fuel cell manufacturer, and the applicant’s chosen fuel cell power plant(s) must be manufactured in the U.S. Applicants who have existing, installed fuel cells at the site or who have placed an order for one prior to 26 September 1994 are ineligible. The applicant must identify the intended use of each power plant. Power plants purchased as factory packaged shall be full power tested prior to installation. An applicant shall identify the site (specific name of DOD installation, hospital, university, etc.) and the intended use at the time of proposal submission. Prior to installation, the specific location at the site must be identified.

The applicant may transfer the power plant to a third party for installation and operation. Prior to installation, the applicant shall be responsible for supplying local National Environmental Policy Act-related information to DOD and for assuring that its power plant(s) is (are) installed and operated in accordance with all regulatory requirements. Applicants must use a fuel cell manufacturer who has at least 2 megawatts (MW)/year manufacturing capability to support the project. Projects must be greater than 100 kilowatts (kW) and are anticipated to be below 400kW. The period of performance is three years at which time the project shall operate at a rated power.

The applicant shall provide a project schedule with each proposal. Applicants will be required to submit a summary report of the power plant installation and operational history upon successful completion of one year of power plant operation. The report will be consistent with the format provided.

The federal contribution will be $1,000/kW and shall not exceed 1/3 of the total cost of the program, including unit cost, installation, an pre-commercial operation. If partnering with a DOD installation, the remainder of the costs shall be borne by the private partner and payment of the grant will be made to the private entity. There may be multiple grants to each applicant, although Th. Government reserves the right to limit the number of plants to an applicant to provide for customer and functional diversity. Payment of 80% of the grant shall be made upon demonstrating that the unit operates at the unit’s maximum power capacity for 8 hours for the purpose identified in the project proposal. The remaining payment of 20% of the grant shall be issued upon submission of the final demonstration report. The proposal period for the Climate Control Fuel Cell Program grant ends 1 May 1997.

This Broad Agency Announcement is available from the World WideWeb Electronic Commerce Home Page called the Procurement Network (ProcNet) available at the following Web address: “http://procnet.pica.army.mil/””. (I-361 SN015533)