Energy Update

DOE Releases 20-Year Strategic Plan

Last week, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Spencer Abraham outlined the Office of Science's 20-year science facility plan, a roadmap or "wish list" for future scientific facilities to support the department’s basic science and research missions. The plan prioritizes new, major scientific facilities and upgrades to current facilities.

The 28 big-ticket facilities cover the range of science supported by the DOE’s Office of Science, including fusion energy, materials science, biological and environmental science, high energy physics, nuclear physics and advanced scientific computation.

Twelve facilities earn recognition as near-term priorities. Priority one is ITER, an international collaboration to build the first fusion science experiment capable of producing a self-sustaining fusion reaction, called a “burning plasma.” Priority two is an UltraScale Scientific Computing Capability, to be located at multiple sites, that would increase by a factor of 100 the computing capability available to support open scientific research.

Four facilities tied for Priority three:  the Joint Dark Energy Mission, a space-based probe, being considered in partnership with NASA, designed to understand “dark energy” which makes up more than 70 percent of the universe; the Linac Coherent Light Source that would provide laser-like radiation 10 billion times greater in power and brightness than any existing x-ray light source; a Protein Production and Tags Facility that would mass produce and characterize tens of thousands of proteins per year; and the Rare Isotope Accelerator that would be the world’s most powerful research facility dedicated to producing and exploring new rare isotopes not found naturally on earth.

Many facilities would be located at DOE national laboratories because they are upgrades to existing machines. The locations of the remaining facilities would be determined through site selections open to laboratories and universities.

The American Institute of Physics reports, "It is expected that the first funding ramifications of this plan will be evidenced in the FY 2006 budget request, which will be sent to Congress in fourteen months."

More information is available at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/Sub/Facilities_for_future/facilities_future.htm

Industry-led Energy Efficiency Projects Receive $115M from DOE

Thirty-two new projects and a total of $115 million will go toward improving energy efficiency in U.S. industry over the next three years, DOE also recently announced. Of the total, DOE's share is $61 million, and industrial partners will cover $54 million through cost-sharing agreements.

Two dozen of the 32 projects will pursue collaborative research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of new, energy-efficiency technologies; eight will identify opportunities to boost energy efficiency and productivity in industrial plants. The projects involve cooperation among more than 150 private companies plus universities, research institutions and DOE national laboratories. All of the projects underwent an open, competitive solicitation process.

Of the RD&D projects, seven target technologies for the glass or metal casting industries. Another 17 focus on technologies that can be applied throughout industry, including advanced industrial materials, sensors and automation. A complete listing of the DOE awards is available at: http://www.oit.doe.gov/cfm/fullarticle.cfm/id=782

Small Businesses Capture Record Share of DOE Funding in 2003

In spite of flat funding for DOE, small businesses saw 37 percent more of DOE's funds go toward their bottom lines in FY 2003 than they did the previous year. Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow announced yesterday that during FY 2003, the department awarded more than $783 million in prime contracts to small businesses. The FY 2002 figure was $573 million.

To help ensure small businesses remain on the radar for the agency's research and procurement opportunities, DOE has instituted a policy that requires all program managers to be held accountable for their small business activities by including them in each of their performance reviews. In addition, the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will continue outreach to small businesses by participating in trade fairs, conducting small business workshops and holding its annual DOE small business procurement conference in June.

More information is available at: http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=PRESSROOM

DOE Gets $1.2 Billion Increase For FY04

Seven weeks into the fiscal year and DOE emerges as one of only a small handful to have its appropriations bill clear Congress. The conference report reveals DOE will receive $1.2 billion more than the agency received last year. In a tight finding year, the $22 billion total is $141 million less than the President's request, however.

DOE science programs received $3.45 billion, an increase of $140 million over the request and $156 million above FY 2003. High energy physics is funded at $738 million and nuclear physics at $391 million, the latter $2.5 million over the request level. Biological and environmental research is funded at $592 million, $92.5 million over the request level. Funding for basic energy sciences is $1 billion, $8 million above the request, and the Advanced Scientific Computing Research initiative is funded at $203.5 million, $30 million above the request. Fusion energy research is funded at $268.1 million, $10.8 million over the request.

The conference report is available at: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app04.html