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DOE to Provide $7 Million in Funding for Hydrogen Storage Technologies Used in Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

On December 12, 2011, the Energy Department announced that it was awarding more than $7 million to fund four projects in California, Washington, and Oregon to advance hydrogen storage technologies to be used in fuel cell electric vehicles. 

The projects focus on lowering the cost of compressed hydrogen storage systems and developing advanced materials for hydrogen storage. 

The four projects selected for award are: 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Richland, Washington – Up to $2.1 million

DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with Ford Motor Company, Lincoln Composites, Toray Carbon Fibers America, Inc. and AOC Inc., will use a coordinated approach to reduce the costs associated with compressed hydrogen storage systems. The project will focus on improving carbon fiber composite materials and the design and manufacture of hydrogen storage tanks. Through these advances, the team expects to lower the cost of manufacturing high-pressure hydrogen storage vessels by more than a third relative to current projections. 

HRL Laboratories, LLC – Malibu, California – Up to $1.2 million 

HRL Laboratories will investigate an innovative approach to hydrogen storage using engineered liquids that can efficiently absorb and release hydrogen gas. Liquids confined in porous structures have been shown to absorb significantly more gas and could create sites for hydrogen molecules that did not exist in the bulk liquid alone. HRL will use this concept to develop composite materials capable of dissolving up to 50 times greater quantities of hydrogen than in the bulk liquid, with the goal of enabling a high density, compact hydrogen storage option. 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – Berkeley, California – Up to $2.1 million 

DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, partnering with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and General Motors, will use a theory-guided approach to synthesize novel materials with high hydrogen adsorption capacities. The team will develop and test "metal-organic framework" materials that have surfaces allowing high density of hydrogen, as well as materials with pores engineered to enable hydrogen storage at near-ambient temperatures.

University of Oregon – Eugene, Oregon – Up to $2.0 million

The University of Oregon, along with The University of Alabama, DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Protonex Technology Corporation, will develop and test promising new materials for hydrogen storage. The proposed chemical hydrogen storage materials could enable liquid refueling, and regeneration of the hydrogen storage material, within temperature and pressure ranges suitable for both onboard mobile and stationary fuel cell applications.

 

Alt Fuel Vehicle Credit Program

On Oct. 31, 2011, DOE published a notice in the Federal Register proposing to revise the allocation of marketable credits under DOE’s Alternative Fuel Transportation Program by including EISA-specified electric drive vehicles and investments in qualified alternative fuel infrastructure, nonroad equipment, and relevant emerging technologies.  DOE is also proposing modifications to the use of Program credits, revisions to the exemption process, clarifications of the Alternative Compliance option, and several technical and other amendments intended to make the Program regulations more clear. 

Comments on the proposal are due December 30, 2011. 

Ref: Docket ID No. EERE-2011-OT-0066. 

Contact: Mr. Dana V. O’Hara, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 202-586-9171.

 

Department of Energy Awards More Than $175 Million for Advanced Vehicle Research and Development

On August 10, DOE issued the following press release announcing awards for more than $175 million for advanced vehicle research and development. 

Department of Energy Awards More Than $175 Million for Advanced Vehicle Research and Development

August 10, 2011

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced more than $175 million over the next three to five years to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies. The funding will support 40 projects across 15 states and will help improve the fuel efficiency of next generation vehicles. The projects will target new innovations throughout the vehicle, including better fuels and lubricants, lighter weight materials, longer-lasting and cheaper electric vehicle batteries and components, more efficient engine technologies, and more. This comprehensive approach to vehicle efficiency research and development will help ensure the technologies are available to help automakers achieve recently announced fuel efficiency standards.

Last month, the President announced historic fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks which will bring fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon by Model Year 2025 and which, combined with steps already taken by this administration, will save American families $1.7 trillion at the pump and reduce oil consumption by 12 billion barrels by 2025. Yesterday, the Administration announced of first-of-their-kind fuel-efficiency standards for work trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles, which will save American businesses who operate and own these commercial vehicles approximately $50 billion in fuel costs over the life of the program.

"The Department of Energy is investing in new advanced technologies that will significantly improve vehicle fuel economy, save consumers money, and create skilled jobs for Americans," said Secretary Chu. "Investments in the next generation of autos will strengthen our economy and lead to a more fuel-efficient, clean energy future."

The funds will leverage additional investments by the grantees to support projects totaling more than $300 million. The selections announced today focus on eight approaches to improving vehicle efficiency:

• Advanced fuels and lubricants: Eight projects awarded to improve fuels and lubricants that will enable optimal performance of advanced combustion engines.
• Light-weighting materials: Five projects awarded to accelerate commercial availability of lighter weight vehicles using advanced materials that dramatically reduce vehicle weight while maintaining the highest safety standards.
• Light weight multi-material prototype: Two projects awarded to design, build, and test a light-weight vehicle that is 50% lighter than a baseline light-duty vehicle. These projects are being undertaken as part of the Clean Energy Dialogue with Canada.
• Advanced cells and design technology for electric drive batteries: Twelve projects awarded to develop high energy or high power batteries for electric vehicles that should significantly exceed existing state-of-the-art technologies in terms of performance and/or cost.
• Advanced power electronics and electric motor technology: Four projects awarded to develop the next generation of power inverters and electric motors to meet demanding performance targets while achieving significant cost reductions.
• Thermoelectric and enabling engine technology: Three projects awarded to improve the efficiency of thermoelectric devices to convert engine waste heat to electricity. Selections of projects to develop early-stage enabling engine technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions are expected in September.
• Fleet efficiency: Five projects awarded to develop and demonstrate fuel efficient tire and driver feedback technologies that will improve efficiency of the passenger car and commercial fleet.
• Advanced vehicle testing and evaluation: One project awarded to conduct laboratory and field evaluations of advanced technology vehicles and related infrastructure, while developing new or modified test procedures.

Read the full list of award winners.

 

DOE Webinar June 2: Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will present a live webcast entitled "Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicles" on Thursday, June 2, 2011, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Mark Reichhardt, FEMP's lead for fleet management; Brad Gustafson, supervisor for applied technology services for FEMP; and Julian Bentley, senior energy strategy consultant for LMI, a government consulting group, will introduce viewers to electric vehicles and discuss the logistics of installing electric vehicle infrastructure at federal facilities.

Specifically, viewers will learn about:

• The cost and comparative performance of electric vehicles
• How to fit EVs into a greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum reduction strategy
• Options for acquiring and incorporating EVs into multi-year fleet strategies
• Requirements for creating and expanding EV charging infrastructure
• Federal reporting requirements
• How FEMP's resources can be of assistance in these areas

Participants are encouraged to e-mail or call-in their questions before and during the program to receive tailored advice from the experts during the live "Q&A" segment. Questions submitted before the program can be sent to FTS@energyworkshops.org.

The 90-minute training is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain an Internet URL for the presentation.

Register to attend the webinar.

FEMP First Thursday Seminars are no-cost training opportunities to help federal energy, environmental, and fleet professionals plan and execute projects to help meet federal goals and requirements. For more information, visit the FEMP First Thursday Seminars website.

 

DOE Announces Expanded Partnership with Industry to Advance Next-Generation Automotive Technologies

 

On May 19, 2011, DOE’s Secretary Steven Chu announced U.S. DRIVE, a cooperative partnership with industry to accelerate the development of clean, advanced, energy-efficient technologies for cars and light trucks and the infrastructure needed to support their widespread use. This partnership is part of DOE's broad strategy to expand the availability of advanced vehicles to American families to help protect them from future spikes in gas prices and reduce our nation's reliance on imported oil. Formerly known as the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, U.S. DRIVE – Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle efficiency and Energy sustainability – brings together top technical experts from DOE, the national laboratories, and industry partners to identify critical research and development (R&D) needs, develop technical targets and strategic roadmaps, and evaluate R&D progress on a broad range of advanced vehicle and energy infrastructure technologies.  For additional information, click here.  

 

EV Codes and Standards Workshop

On April 5 and 6, on behalf of the Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will convene a two day meeting in Bethesda, MD to discuss codes and standards needed to facilitate the successful introduction and wide-spread acceptance and deployment of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicles.  The meeting will cover current and future U.S. domestic, regional, and international standards, codes, conformity assessment activities, and education and training initiatives.

Day one of the meeting will offer a high-level overview of current work taking place with respect to the following:

U.S. Based Standards Activities

• vehicle hardware
• vehicle and grid communication and coordination
• battery and fire safety standards
• electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) standards
• code development

 International Standards Landscape

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• European Union
• Asia-Pacific region

 Code, Conformance and Training Issues

• code installation and EVSE equipment issues
• qualifications / training of service technicians and first responders

Day two of the meeting will involve concurrent breakout sessions where attendees will discuss codes and standards issues pertaining to: 1) vehicles, 2) infrastructure, or 3) support services.  A wrap-up session in the afternoon will allow attendees to learn about what transpired in all three breakout sessions.

Dale Kardos & Associates, Inc. will make a summary of the meeting available on or before April 11.  Anyone interested in a copy should contact Dale Kardos at dale.kardos@motorvehicleregs.com or at (202) 567-2926.

 

DOE Releases New Analysis Showing Significant Advances in Electric Vehicle Deployment

DOE released the following announcement on February 9, 2011 regarding President Obama’s goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy today released One Million Electric Vehicles by 2015 (pdf - 220 kb), an analysis of advances in electric vehicle deployment and progress to date in meeting President Obama's goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.  The analysis shows that while the goal is ambitious, it is also achievable based on steps already taken as part of the Recovery Act and additional policy initiatives proposed by President Obama -- including improvements to existing consumer tax credits, programs to help cities prepare for the growing demand for electric vehicles, and strong support for research and development to continue reducing the cost of electric vehicles.

"President Obama's goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 represents a key component of our strategy to dramatically reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and ensure that the U.S. leads the world in the growing electric vehicle manufacturing industry," said DOE Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs David Sandalow.  "This is a race America can win -- if we answer the President's call to out-innovate, out-build, and out-compete the rest of the world." 

One Million Electric Vehicles by 2015 details DOE investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, research and development, and demonstration projects nationwide that are laying the groundwork for achieving the President's goal.  These projects include support for nearly 50 manufacturing facilities and demonstration projects nationwide.  These efforts are helping to reduce the costs of advanced batteries and electric vehicles and gathering real-world data for consumers and local communities that will inform future deployment efforts.

The Department's analysis of the current market outlook indicates that manufacturers are planning to produce in the range of one million electric vehicles by 2015.  While industry-wide, manufacturing capacity is not likely to be the limiting factor in reaching the President's goal, additional policy steps are needed to further drive innovation, reduce costs, and spur consumer demand.

The Obama Administration is proposing a three-part strategy that supports electric vehicle manufacturing and adoption through improvements to tax credits in current law, investments in research and development (R&D), and a new competitive program to encourage communities to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure.  This plan will drive demand and position the United States as a global leader in manufacturing and deploying next-generation vehicle technologies.  The strategy includes:

• Make electric vehicles more affordable with a rebate up to $7,500: The President is proposing to transform the existing $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles into a rebate that will be available to consumers immediately at the point of sale, instead of having to wait for tax returns to be filed.
• Advance innovative technologies through new R&D investments: Building on Recovery Act investments, the President's FY2012 budget proposal will include enhanced R&D investments in electric drive, batteries, and energy storage technologies.
• Reward communities that invest in electric vehicle infrastructure through competitive grants: To provide an incentive for communities to invest in EV infrastructure and remove regulatory barriers, the President is proposing a new initiative that will provide grants to up to 30 communities that are prioritizing advanced technology vehicle deployment.

Combined, these policies will help achieve the President's goal of one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 while creating new jobs and strengthening U.S. leadership in the growing EV market. 

The U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program funds research and development for energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle technologies.

 

New $184 Million DOE Funding Opportunity Announced

DOE announced today that it is accepting applications for up to $184 million over three to five years to accelerate the development and deployment of new efficient vehicle technologies that will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, save drivers money, and limit carbon pollution. Projects will span the broad spectrum of technology approaches, including advanced materials, combustion research, hybrid electric systems, fleet efficiency, and fuels technology.

The Funding Opportunity Announcement addresses the development of key technologies required to achieve large scale adoption of advanced vehicles such as plug-in electric hybrids (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). The Department is seeking applications from industry, laboratory, and university teams to address its challenges. The solicitation seeks to fill gaps in the existing program through the development of enabling technologies that will remove barriers and create new paradigms in vehicle design.

The Funding Opportunity Announcement focuses on eight approaches to improving vehicle efficiency:

• Advanced fuels and lubricants: Improve today's vehicle fuels and lubricants to enable optimal performance of advanced combustion engines.
• Light weighting materials: Accelerate commercial availability of lighter weight vehicles using advanced materials like magnesium and carbon fiber to dramatically reduce vehicle weight.
• Multi-material light weight material prototype: Design, build, and test a light-weight vehicle that is 50% lighter than a baseline light-duty vehicle.
• Advanced cells and design technology for electric drive batteries: Develop high energy or high power electric vehicles that significantly exceed existing state-of-the-art technologies in terms of performance and/or cost.
• Advanced power electronics and electric motor technology: Develop the next generation of power inverters and electric motors to meet demanding performance targets while achieving significant reductions in cost.
• Thermoelectric and enabling engine technology: Improve the efficiency of thermoelectric devices to convert engine waste heat to electricity. Develop early-stage enabling engine technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
• Fleet efficiency: Develop and demonstrate fuel efficient tire and driver feedback technologies that will positively affect efficiency of the fleet of passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
• Advanced vehicle testing and evaluation: Conduct laboratory and field evaluations of advanced technology vehicles and related infrastructure, while developing new or modified test procedures.

Applications for the solicitation are due February 28, 2011.  A Letter of Intent due date is Jan. 18, 2011. DOE expects to announce the selections by summer 2011.  To read the solicitation, click here.  

 

Senate Hearing Scheduled on Rare Earth Materials

On Thursday, a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee will hold a hearing on rare earth minerals that are used to make clean energy products like electric vehicles, wind turbines and energy efficient lighting.  Recent developments in China, where 97 percent of the world's rare earth metals are produced, have triggered comments by lawmakers and placed additional importance on the scheduled hearing.  The New York Times reported last week that Chinese officials were blocking shipments of rare earth metals from China to Japan.  The hearing will start at 10 AM.  Location: Senate Dirksen Office Building.

 

Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act

On May 27, 2010, new EV legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate.  The House and Senate bills are sponsored by Representatives Markey, Biggert, McNerney and Eshoo and Senators Dorgan, Alexander and Merkley, respectively .   Key components of the legislation include the following:

• The Secretary of Energy will competitively award $800 million to 5 different deployment communities around the country, with the objective of deploying 700,000 electric vehicles in those communities within six years. 
• At least $2,000 in additional consumer incentives for the first 100,000 consumers purchasing electric vehicles in these communities would be provided. 
• All Americans would continue to be eligible for the electric vehicle tax credit, which reduces the prices of an electric vehicle by up to $7500, and additionally, tax credits of the costs of purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging equipment for individuals (up to $2000) or businesses (up to $50,000 for multiple equipment purchases) would be extended. 
• Additional research, development, deployment and manufacturing incentives are provided for technologies that enable the widespread deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.