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To achieve its mission and vision, ITP develops and promotes technologies and practices that help industry use less energy per unit of output. Reducing energy intensity is the key to increasing energy efficiency in industry without impeding economic growth. In order to meet our goal of contributing to a 30 percent decrease in energy intensity between 2002 and 2020 (a potential savings of 3.8-4.5 quads of energy) we are working with industry to identify Grand Challenges that will dramatically improve industrial energy efficiency.
A Grand Challenge is an important technical problem facing an industry or group of industries that, if solved, holds the potential to produce dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, environmental performance, and product yield. Grand challenges typically require high-risk, high-return R&D. Industry is unable to accept the risks associated with undertaking complex, capital-intensive technology R&D. Grand Challenges help mitigate that risk and provides the opportunity to achieve large national energy savings.
To identify high-value opportunities, ITP analyzes the energy-saving potential of processes and energy systems throughout industry. ITP then pursues public-private partnerships to develop Grand Challenge projects. ITP's emphasis on Grand Challenges in its R&D portfolio is expected to result in a small number of high-value projects that will yield substantial energy, environmental, and economic benefits as well as increases in capital productivity.
In seeking a high return on federal investments, ITP's upcoming Grand Challenge projects will be based on technical complexity, lack of previous solutions, and magnitude of proposed benefits. ITP will identify Grand Challenge-qualifying projects with a benefit-to-cost ratio of at least 10 trillion Btu saved per year by 2020 per $1 million DOE investment.
In addition to upcoming Grand Challenge projects planned in 2004, ITP currently has a few existing R&D projects that address problems on the scale of a Grand Challenge. These include:
- Lost Foam Casting (PDF 136 KB) (Download Acrobat Reader)—an advanced casting process for the metal casting and aluminum industries with potential annual savings of 2.25 trillion Btu by 2010
- Mesabi Nugget (PDF 94 KB) (Download Acrobat Reader)—a new ironmaking technology that has the potential for a 29% reduction in total energy per ton of steel at 70% scrap usage
- Gasification (PDF 194 KB) (Download Acrobat Reader)—a biomass energy to electric power conversion process with the potential to save more than 100 trillion Btu and reduce emissions by 20 million tons annually
We invite your participation as we tackle the next generation of Grand Challenges. Watch our site for upcoming solicitation opportunities.
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