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DOE to Provide $187 Million to Improve Vehicle Efficiency for Heavy-Duty Trucks and Passenger Vehicles

On Jan. 11, 2010, at an event in Columbus, Indiana, DOE Secretary Chu announced the selection of nine projects totaling more than $187 million to improve fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles. The funding includes more than $100 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and with a private cost share of 50%, will support nearly $375 million in total research, development, and demonstration projects across the country. The nine winners have stated their projects will create over 500 jobs, primarily researchers, engineers, and managers who will develop these new technologies. By 2015, the projects expect to create over 6,000 jobs—many in manufacturing and assembly. 

Three projects will focus on cost-effective measures to improve the efficiency of Class 8 long-haul freight trucks by 50%. These projects will receive more than $115 million in funding to develop and demonstrate systems-level fuel efficiency technologies by 2015, including improved aerodynamics, reducing engine idling technologies, waste heat recovery to increase engine efficiency, advanced combustion techniques, and powertrain hybridization.  The remaining six projects totaling more than $71 million will support efforts to increase the fuel economy for passenger vehicle engines and powertrain systems. The goal is to develop engine technologies that will improve the fuel economy of passenger vehicles by 25-40% by 2015 using an engine-only approach.

 The following projects have been selected for awards under two topic areas:

Systems Level Technology Development, Integration, and Demonstration for Efficient Class 8 Trucks (SuperTrucks)

• Cummins Inc. - $38,831,115 - Columbus, Indiana: Develop and demonstrate a highly efficient and clean diesel engine, an advanced waste heat recovery system, an aerodynamic Peterbilt tractor and trailer combination, and a fuel cell auxiliary power unit to reduce engine idling.
• Daimler Trucks North America, LLC - $39,559,868 - Portland, Oregon: Develop and demonstrate technologies including engine downsizing, electrification of auxiliary systems such as oil and water pumps, waste heat recovery, improved aerodynamics and hybridization.
• Navistar, Inc. - $37,328,933 - Fort Wayne, Indiana: Develop and demonstrate technologies to improve truck and trailer aerodynamics, combustion efficiency, waste heat recovery, hybridization, idle reduction, and reduced rolling resistance tires.

 Advanced Technology Powertrains for Light-Duty Vehicles (ATP-LD)

• Chrysler Group LLC - $14,458,572 - Auburn Hills, Michigan: Develop a flexible combustion system for their minivan platform based on a downsized, turbocharged engine that uses direct gasoline injection, recirculation of exhaust gases, and flexible intake air control to reduce emissions.
• Cummins Inc. - $15,000,000 - Columbus, Indiana: Develop a fuel-efficient, low emissions diesel engine that achieves a 40% fuel economy improvement over conventional gasoline technology and significantly exceeds 2010 EPA emissions requirements.
• Delphi Automotive Systems LLC - $7,480,572 - Troy, Michigan: Develop a novel low-temperature combustion system, coupled with technologies such as continuously variable valve control and engine downspeeding, to improve fuel economy by at least 25%.
• Ford Motor Company - $15,000,000 - Dearborn, Michigan: Achieve a 25% fuel economy improvement with a gasoline engine in a 2010 mid- to large-size sedan using technologies including engine downsizing, turbo-charging, direct injection, and a novel exhaust aftertreatment system.
• General Motors Co. - $7,705,862 - Pontiac, Michigan: Develop an engine that uses lean combustion and active heat management, as well as a novel emissions control system, to improve the fuel economy of a 2010 Malibu demonstration vehicle by 25%.
• Robert Bosch - $11,953,786 - Farmington Hills, Michigan: Demonstrate a high compression, turbo-charged engine based on homogenous charge compression ignition technology (a combustion technology that allows for lower emissions and higher efficiency) to achieve up to 30% fuel economy improvement in a gasoline-fueled light-duty vehicle.

 

New DOE Funding Opportunity Announced

Today, DOE issued the attached Notice of Intent to Issue FOA No. DE-FOA-0000239 entitled, “FY2010 Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Broad Agency Announcement.” 

DOE expects to issue the FOA in or around the February 2010 timeframe.  The Department envisions awarding multiple financial assistance awards in the form of cost-shared grants/cooperative agreements.  The estimated period of performance for each award will be approximately 2-3 years. 
 
The following areas are expected to be covered by the FOA:

Area of Interest 1: Advanced Fuels and Lubricants Technologies

Subtopic 1(a): Fuels and Lubricants for Advanced Combustion Regimes

Subtopic 1(b): Direct Petroleum Displacement by Liquid Alternative Fuels for CI Engines in Transportation

Subtopic 1(c): Higher efficiency natural gas (CNG, LNG) engines and vehicle platforms for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses.

Area of Interest 2: Lightweighting Materials

Subtopic 2(a): Low Cost Development of Magnesium from a Domestic Source
 
Subtopic 2(b): Demonstration Project for a Multi-material Light Weight Vehicle as part of the Clean Energy Dialogue with Canada

Subtopic 2(c): Development of Low Cost Carbon Fiber

Area of Interest 3: Hybrid and Electric Systems R&D for Advanced Energy Storage and Electric Drive Technologies

Subtopic 3(a): Develop Advanced Cells for Electric Drive Vehicle Batteries

Subtopic 3(b): Improve Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Design

Subtopic 3(c):Modular, Scalable Inverter for Advanced Electric Drive Vehicle Electric Traction Drives

Subtopic 3(d): Motors Using No Rare Earth Permanent Magnets for Advanced EDV Electric Traction Drives

Area of Interest 4: Advanced Thermoelectric and Enabling Technologies for Energy Efficient Powertrains

Subtopic 4(a): Solid State Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Devices

Subtopic 4(b):Enabling Technologies for Engine and Powertrain Systems

New DOE Funding for EV Batteries, Biofuels and Carbon Capture

On December 7th, DOE Secretary Chu announced a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects that will be made available through the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).  This round of funding focuses specifically on three areas of technology representing new approaches for biofuels, carbon capture, and batteries for electric vehicles:

Areas of focus included under today’s funding opportunity include:

Electrofuels. ARPA-E is seeking new ways to make liquid transportation fuels - without using petroleum or biomass - by using microorganisms to harness chemical or electrical energy to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. Many methods of producing advanced and cellulosic biofuels are under development to lessen our dependence on petroleum and lower carbon emissions. Most of the methods currently under development involve converting biomass or waste, while there are also approaches to directly produce liquid transportation fuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide, typically using photosynthesis. The objective of this topic is to develop an entirely new paradigm for the production of liquid fuels that could overcome the challenges associated with current technologies. Although photosynthetic routes show promise, overall efficiencies remain low. ARPA-E requests innovative proposals which can overcome these challenges through the utilization of metabolic engineering and synthetic biological approaches for the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide to liquid transportation fuels. ARPA-E specifically seeks the development of organisms capable of extracting energy from hydrogen, from reduced earth-abundant metal ions, from robust, inexpensive, readily available organic redox active species, or directly from electric current. Theoretically such an approach could be 10 times more efficient than current photosynthetic-biomass approaches to liquid fuel production.

 Innovative Materials & Processes for Advanced Carbon Capture Technologies (IMPACCT). Coal-fired power plants currently generate approximately 50% of the electricity in the United States. While coal is a cheap and abundant resource, the continued reliance upon coal as an energy source could potentially have serious consequences in terms of global warming. The objective of this topic is to fund high risk, high reward research efforts that will revolutionize technologies that capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants, thereby preventing release into the atmosphere. ARPA-E seeks to complement existing DOE efforts in the field of carbon capture, led by the Office of Fossil Energy and National Energy Technology Laboratory, by accelerating promising ideas from the basic research stage towards large-scale demonstrations and ultimately, commercialization. Areas of interest include: low-cost catalysts to enable systems with superior thermodynamics that are not currently practical due to slow kinetics; robust materials that resist degradation from caustic contaminants in flue gas; and advanced capture processes that dramatically reduce the parasitic energy penalties and corresponding increase in the cost of electricity required for carbon capture.

Batteries for Electrical Energy Storage in Transportation (BEEST). In this topic, ARPA-E seeks to develop a new generation of ultra-high energy density, low-cost battery technologies for long electric range plug in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). The development of high energy, low cost batteries represents the critical barrier to wide-spread deployment of EVs, which if achieved would have a profound impact on U.S. oil security, greenhouse gas emissions, and economic growth. The ambitious goals for this program are largely based upon the aggressive long term EV battery goals set forth by the United States Automotive Battery Consortium, a public-private collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and leading U.S. automotive companies. If successful, new battery technologies developed under this program will give electrified light-duty vehicles range, performance, lifetime, and cost required to shift transportation energy from oil to the domestically powered U.S. electric grid. ARPA-E's objective is to fund high-risk, high reward research efforts that will promote leadership in this emerging EV battery market.

To submit a concept paper, please visit: https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov. For more information about ARPA-E and previously announced awards please visit: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/.

Senator Stabenow, Congressman Peters Announce Legislation to Support the Development of Advanced Technology Vehicles in America

On December 7th, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009 (S.2843). The Advanced Vehicle Technology Act will provide funding to the U.S. Department of Energy for advanced vehicle research and development. The funding will be available through competitive grant awards for small, medium, and large manufacturers and suppliers that develop technologies to improve the energy efficiency of vehicles. These efforts include hybrid and electrical systems; advanced batteries and energy storage devices; hydrogen and natural gas systems; refueling and recharging infrastructure; and other advanced vehicle technologies. It will also expand the development of more fuel-efficient medium and heavy duty commercial trucks.

DOE Loan Guarantee Program

On December 4, 2009, DOE published a notice in the Federal Register at 74 FR 63544 finalizing amendments to the regulations for the loan guarantee program that was authorized by Section 1703 of Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Section 1703 of Title XVII authorized DOE to make loan guarantees for projects that “avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases; and employ new or significantly improved technologies as compared to commercial technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued.”
DOE is changing the existing regulations to provide flexibility in the determination of an appropriate collateral package to secure guaranteed loan obligations, facilitate collateral sharing and related intercreditor arrangements with other project lenders, and to provide a more workable interpretation of certain statutory provisions regarding DOE's treatment of collateral, consistent with the intent and purposes of Title XVII. 
The rule is effective December 4, 2009.

More DOE Vehicle-Related Technology Awards Announced

On November 18^th, DOE announced $104.7 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for eight new projects to establish research and testing facilities at seven DOE National Laboratories.  The projects are in the areas of carbon fiber manufacturing and processing technologies, advanced battery prototype fabrication and testing facilities, and integrated building systems development.  With regard specifically to the carbon fiber and battery projects, the awards are as follows:

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN) will receive $34.7 million for carbon fiber manufacturing and processing to construct the Carbon Fiber Technology Center.  The Center will investigate novel manufacturing processes and alternative feedstocks in order to lower the cost of carbon fiber from the current $10-$20 per pound to under $5 per pound.
• Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne, IL) will receive $8.8 million to construct three battery research and development facilities:  a Battery Prototype Cell Fabrication Facility, a Materials Production Scale-Up Facility, and a Post-Test Analysis Facility.
• Idaho National Laboratory (Idaho Falls, ID) will receive $5 million to establish a High Energy Battery Test Facility.  The High Energy Battery Test Facility will possess capabilities that will enable development of low cost batteries that meet real world performance requirements. 
• Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) will receive $4.2 million to modify and enhance its Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory. Abusive testing includes such conditions as over charging, over discharge, short circuits, fire and external heat exposure. The improved battery abuse testing facilities will possess capabilities critical for developing low cost batteries that meet real world performance requirements.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO) will receive $2 million to establish a Battery Thermal and Life Test Facility. The Battery Thermal and Life Test Facility will enable researchers to develop lower cost, more robust battery thermal management systems and battery designs.

$99.8 million DOE award to eTec

On Oct. 1, 2009, the Electric Transportation Engineering Corp. (eTec), a subsidiary of ECOtality, Inc. (OTCBB:ETLY), announced it that it has signed a contract with the U.S. DOE for a grant of $99.8 million to undertake the deployment of EVs and charging infrasturcture. The project will include the deployment of 10,950 Level 2 (220V) chargers, 260 Level 3 fast-chargers and 4,700 Nissan LEAF EVs in five states: AZ, CA, OR, TN, and WA. The project officially commenced Oct. 1, 2009. The website for the project is www.theEVproject.com.

DOE FY2010 Budget

On October 15, 2009, the Senate approved the FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Conference Report and the bill was subsequently signed by President Obama. Some vehicle-related budgetary items include the following:

ATVM Program

• $20 million provided for administrative purposes. • Includes provision that would require DOE to reconsider applications that were filed prior to Jan. 1, 2009 involving ultra efficient vehicles (i.e., fully enclosed compartment vehicles designed to carry at least 2 persons) – the provision was added to cover Aptera’s 3 wheeled electric vehicle

Hydrogen Technology

• Provides $174 million for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies under the Fuel Cell Technology and Vehicle Technology program areas.

Ethanol

• Provides $7.5 million for coordination with the Vehicle Technologies program to expand and accelerate testing of intermediate fuel blends of ethanol and gasoline.

Vehicle Technologies

• provides $311,365,000 for Vehicle Technologies

Natural gas vehicles

• $5,000,000 for natural gas vehicle research and development.

Earmarks

• Boulder SmartGridCity - Plug-In Electric Hybrid Vehicles - $500,000 • Fast Charging Electric Vehicle Demonstration Project in Charlottesville, Virginia - $500,000 • HyperCAST R&D Funding for Vehicle Energy Efficiency (CO) - $750,000 • Multi-Hybrid Power Vehicles with Cost Effective and Durable Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell and Lithium Ion Battery for Ohio University - $600,000 • R&D of Clean Vehicle Technology - $1 million • San Francisco Electric Vehicle Initiative - $1million • Advanced Battery Manufacturing - $200k • Lithium Ion Battery for Ohio University - $600k

Development, and Demonstration of Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Technologies

On June 16, 2009, DOE announced the selection of seven cost-shared research projects for the development of advanced batteries for electric drive vehicles. The total DOE investment for these projects is up to $10.96 million over three years, subject to annual appropriations. Private sector contributions will further increase the financial investment for a total of up to $19.36 million.

The projects, being funded by base annual appropriations, will focus on improving battery material performance, developing manufacturing processes to increase performance, and decreasing the cost of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) batteries. PHEVs are hybrid vehicles that can be driven in electric-only mode and recharged from a standard electric outlet. These vehicles provide fuel diversity and decreased petroleum consumption. The acceleration of lithium-ion battery development is a key step in the successful commercialization of PHEVs, which will be capable of traveling up to 40 miles without recharging.

These projects were selected under the battery materials and manufacturing topic area from the Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement released on February 29, 2008. In December 2008, DOE announced the initial selection of three battery materials and manufacturing projects for negotiation of award from the FOA, including: 3M Company (St Paul, Minnesota), BASF Catalyst LLC (Iselin, New Jersey, and Elyria, Ohio) and FMC Corporation (Charlotte, North Carolina). These three contracts total up to $13.9 million in cost-shared cooperative agreements; DOE share of up to $6.85 million, subject to annual appropriations. The additional selections announced today include:

A123Systems, Inc of Watertown, Massachusetts, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $1.1 million for a project to develop a high throughput electrode fabrication process for their lithium ion battery technology.

Angstron Materials LLC of Dayton, Ohio, teamed with Applied Sciences Inc. of Cedarville, Ohio; K2 Energy Solutions of Henderson, Nevada; General Motors Corporation of Detroit, Michigan; and HST Auto of Escondido, California; has been selected for negotiation of a three-year award of up to $3.2 million with a DOE share of up to $1.6 million, project to develop hybrid nano carbon fiber/graphene platelet-based high-capacity anodes for lithium batteries.

EnerDel Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $3.3 million for a project to develop a chemical shuttle agent that will eliminate the danger of overcharging lithium ion batteries developed for plug in hybrid electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles.

MaxPower Inc. of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $500,000 for a project aimed at adapting MaxPower's present battery management systems (BMS) for lithium-ion batteries to recognize the imminent appearance of an internal short and to take action to operate the battery in a safe state.

North Carolina State University of Raleigh, North Carolina, teamed with American Lithium Energy LLC of San Marcos, California, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $1.35 million for a project to develop high-energy composite nanofiber anodes for materials for lithium ion batteries.

SION Power Corporation of Tucson, Arizona, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $800,000 for a project aimed at demonstrating the viability of their lithium sulfur (Li-S) rechargeable battery chemistry for electric drive vehicles.

TIAX LLC of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been selected for negotiation of an award for up to $2.36 million for a project aimed at understanding and preventing internal short circuits in lithium ion cells. Results from the proposed program will help develop guidelines to enable development of technologies for safe battery packs, guidelines that will permit original equipment manufacturers to develop their own proprietary technologies for mitigating short-circuit induced safety incidents.

DOE Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) LOAN PROGRAM

On March 6, 2009, DOE announced a change to its existing policy regarding the processing of ATVM loan applications. Previously, DOE announced that, for loan applications submitted after December 31, 2008, no final decisions would be made until after the close of the quarter (March 31, June 30, etc). In order to expedite the processing of all applications, DOE has now decided that it will now evaluate substantially complete applications as and when they are submitted. They are also announcing that they may make decisions on such applications and close loans with respect to such applications at any time. DOE states that applications submitted after December 31, 2008 will be treated in the same manner as applications submitted prior to December 31, 2008.