Release Date: June 15, 2009

DOE Issues Amended Funding Opportunity Announcement for Third Round of Clean Coal Power Initiative
Amended Announcement Solicits Applications for Carbon Capture and Sequestration, Incorporates Recovery Act Modifications

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy has issued an amendment to the Funding Opportunity Announcement for Round 3 of the Clean Coal Power Initiative. The amendment, which was issued on June 9, 2009, incorporates special provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The FOA, which is available at Grants.gov and FedConnect.net, provides instructions for the preparation and submission of an application and outlines the mission need and background, project description, and the primary technical goals and functional performance requirements. The announcement also outlines the criteria by which applications will be evaluated, the terms and conditions of a model cooperative agreement, and the cost-sharing required for government-industry cooperation.

Notable modifications made under this amendment include the following:

• Carbon capture technologies must operate at 50 percent carbon capture efficiency and make progress toward a target CO2 capture efficiency of 90 percent in a gas stream containing at least 10 percent CO2 by volume.
• Projects must use domestic mined coal or coal refuse for at least 55 percent of energy input.
• Projects much meet special terms and conditions outlined under the Recovery Act, such as those relating to reporting and tracking of incurred costs, reporting job creation and job preservation data, payment of prevailing wage rates, and the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods.
• Per a legislative change contained in the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, 70 percent of program funds are no longer required to be used to fund projects on coal-based gasification technologies.

Applicants, including those who wish to re-submit or modify their submission from the January 20, 2009 closing date, must apply under the August 24, 2009 closing date. Selection announcements are anticipated for October 2009.

Initiated in 2002, the CCPI is a multi-year program that demonstrates advanced coal-based power generation technology at commercial scale. Five projects are currently active from two previous rounds of competition. The goal of the initiative, which is being executed through a series of competitive solicitations, is to accelerate the readiness of advanced coal technologies for commercial deployment, ensuring that the United States has clean, reliable, and affordable electricity and power.

Projects selected under the amended FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-5 . The Recovery Act’s purposes are to stimulate the economy and to create and retain jobs. The Act gives preference to activities that can be started and completed expeditiously. Accordingly, special consideration will be given to projects that promote and enhance the objectives of the Act, especially job creation, preservation and economic recovery.