DOE Requests Comments on Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR)

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published information relating to its second Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR). A 2015 Framing Document has been released, and according to DOE it is the “principle means of facilitating stakeholder engagement in the QTR process. The framing document describes the Nation’s energy landscape and challenges, important research, development, demonstration and deployment (RDD&D) opportunities across energy supply and end-uses in working towards addressing U.S. energy-linked economic, environmental and national security challenges. The insight gained from QTR process will provide essential information for decision-makers as they develop funding decisions, approaches to public-private partnerships, and other strategic actions over the next five years.”

For transportation, the document states that “the U.S. has the opportunity to develop and put into place a transition to clean sustainable domestic transportation fuels and systems. Sources—such as electricity, hydrogen, and natural gas—that reduce U.S. dependence on global transport fuel markets would be particularly useful as the costs for these sources are set domestically, in contrast to current petroleum-based fuels and liquid alternatives which are traded on global markets and their prices are thus tied to world market prices.”

The framing document, a relatively short document of 23 pages ends with a handful of questions that DOE is seeking input on. Comments on the QTR can be submitted until February 21. The DOE notice is available here, and the framing document is available here.