DOE Seeks Project Integrator for Innovative Energy Systems Challenge in the Chemical Industry

March 17, 2004

Inefficient on- and off-site energy generation, transmission, conversion and distribution systems account for energy losses of more than 2.3 quadrillion Btu (quads) annually in the Chemical Industry. Innovative energy systems could achieve an estimated 30% reduction in energy losses by 2020, and result in savings of more than 700 million Btu and $2-3 billion dollars per year.

To accelerate innovation and technology development in efficient energy systems, the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Chemical Industry Vision2020 Technology Partnership (Vision2020) have agreed to establish a five-year joint venture. This collaboration will support research, development, and demonstration of projects to enhance the productivity of energy systems that are integrated with chemical processing and energy supply systems within plant boundaries. The goal of the collaboration is to commercialize one or more innovative energy systems that will have widespread application and yield significant energy savings for the chemical industry.

Chief technology officers and other chemical industry leaders agree that more efficient energy systems represent a major opportunity for saving energy in the U.S. chemical industry. More efficient energy systems represent a significant opportunity for improving productivity, reducing costs, and increasing energy efficiency in chemical plants worldwide," notes Vision2020 Chair Jack Solomon. This initiative tackles the important technical challenges facing the chemical industry by targeting roughly half the amount of the total energy lost before reaching a typical chemical plant's operations and process. These losses may occur at the boundary of the chemical plant or on-site.

With this solicitation, DOE is first seeking a Project Integrator who will work with DOE and Vision2020 to seek R&D project proposals. The Project Integrator will solicit, review, select, and manage contracts for innovative energy system technology, and ultimately, work with DOE, Vision2020, and technology developers to commercialize the most promising energy systems. R&D under this collaboration will address inefficiencies in on-site heat and power generation, energy distribution and conversion, and chemical processes. Read the Vision2020 report, Opportunities for Innovative Energy Systems in the U.S. Chemical Industry, for details on technology priorities and access the Solicitation for more information.