81 FR 7087 - Request for Information (RFI) for Updated Critical Materials Strategy
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 27 (February 10, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 27 (February 10, 2016)
| Page Range | 7087-7089 | |
| FR Document | 2016-02676 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 7087-7089] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-02676] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Request for Information (RFI) for Updated Critical Materials Strategy AGENCY: Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of Request for Information (RFI). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) developed and issued a Critical Materials Strategy report addressing the role of rare earth and other materials in energy technologies and processes. An update and additional analyses were completed the following year. In order to update the 2010 and 2011 analyses, DOE is seeking information from stakeholders on rare earth elements and other materials used in an array of energy technologies, as well as key materials used in the manufacturing of energy technologies that do not necessarily appear in the final product. DATES: Written comments and information are requested no later than 5:00 p.m. ET, on April 11, 2016. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments, which must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Instructions: Electronic responses must be provided as attachments to an email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Respondents are requested to provide the following information at the start of their response to this RFI: Company/Institution name; Company/ Institution contact; Contact's address, phone number, and email address. Please identify your answers by responding to a specific question or topic if possible. Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development. DOE will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses, except as required by applicable law. A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed. DOE will not pay for information provided under this RFI. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. DOE has no obligation to respond to those who submit comments, and/or give any feedback on any decision made based on the responses received. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information may be sent to [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Purpose The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to the demand, supply, use, and costs of rare earth metals and other materials used in the energy sector. DOE is specifically interested in information on the materials and technologies in the following table, as well as other materials of interest identified by the respondents to this request that are used in energy technologies: Materials of InterestRare earth elements (e.g., cerium, dysprosium, europium, gadolinium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, scandium, terbium, ytterbium, and yttrium) Platinum group metals (e.g., iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium) Antimony, bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, hafnium, helium, indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, rhenium, selenium, silicon, tantalum, tellurium, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium Technologies and Components of Interest ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Technologies Types Components ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solar photovoltaics.................... .......................... Thin film. Concentrated solar power............... Trough system............. Mirrors. Power tower system........ Molten salts. Dish engine system. Wind turbines.......................... Direct drive.............. Permanent magnets. Natural gas generators................. .......................... Superalloys. Coatings. Magnetic materials. Hydropower............................. .......................... Permanent magnets. [[Page 7088]] Nuclear................................ .......................... Control rods. Cooling fluids. Control absorbers or neutron shielding materials. Fuel rod cladding. Fuel assembly grid plates. Alloys. Vehicles (in all vehicle classes)...... Battery electric.......... Permanent magnets. Plug-in hybrid electric... Batteries. Hybrid.................... Catalytic converters. Fuel cells................ Lightweighting (platform, frame, engine cradle, etc.). Lighting............................... LEDs...................... Phosphors. Fluorescents (CFLs, LFLs). Other solid-state lighting Grid storage........................... .......................... Batteries. Stationary fuel cells & hydrogen Solid oxide............... Catalysts. electrolysis. Solid acid................ Cathode. Phosphoric acid molten Anode. carbonate. Polymer electrolyte Electrolytes. membrane. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOE is interested in receiving information on the following issues: Category 1: Technology and Component Material Intensity For the following questions, please express material intensity in terms of quantity per unit, such as weight percentage per magnet of a given size, content per unit of generation or storage capacity, weight content per lamp, content per vehicle type, weight requirement per industrial process output, or other appropriate metric or industry standard. For the energy technologies and components of interest listed above, what is the current and anticipated materials requirement over the next 15 years? What is the level of purity required? How much material is lost during use (i.e., dissipative losses)? What are the quantities of material loss in manufacturing currently and how might that change over the next 15 years as the technology develops? For the energy technologies and components of interest listed above, what are the quantities of material used in manufacturing them that do not appear in the final product (e.g., materials used in sputtering targets, as manufacturing equipment, as catalysts, etc.)? Category 2: Market Projections For the energy technologies and components of interest listed above, what is the current and projected global market demand over the next 15 years and how does it vary by region? What are the key uncertainties that may significantly affect these projections? What is the anticipated average lifespan for the energy technologies of interest and how frequently do the components need to be replaced? How might these lifespans and replacement frequencies evolve as the technology develops? For the energy technologies of interest listed above, are the materials and/or components easily substitutable or do they require product and/or manufacturing process re-designs? If known, what are the most appropriate currently viable substitutes for these technologies or components? Are additional substitutes anticipated within the next 15 years? What are the leading concerns regarding using the identified substitute material(s) (e.g., lower performance, higher costs, product or process redesigns, capital requirements, inadequate supply, difficulty of use, etc.)? Do you use or expect to use significantly increasing quantities of the materials listed above for non-energy technologies? Please explain. Do prices, price volatility and/or basic availability affect your decision to use the materials of interest? Category 3: Energy Technology Transitions and Emerging Technologies How do you anticipate technology transitions (e.g., fluorescent lights to LEDs) will affect material availability over the next 15 years? Please share any insight or recommendations with respect to technology transitions. How do you expect the emergence of new energy or energy efficiency technologies (e.g., fuel cells) to affect material demand over the next 15 years? What timescales or delays in production and utilization can affect the ability to plan for deployment of new energy technologies? Category 4: Primary Production and Material Processing Do you anticipate additional production of the materials of interest coming online in the next 5 years? What technical, economic, or regulatory factors lead to barriers or delays in bringing on new production or increasing current production? What are the emerging processes or approaches (physical, chemical, or biological) to separation and processing these materials? Can they be scaled? What are the barriers to deploying these emerging processes? Do prices, price volatility and/or basic availability affect your decision to produce the materials of interest? Category 5: Supply Chains For the technologies and components of interest listed, what are the process stages within the supply chain, and where geographically does each occur? What are the factors that affect where a component is manufactured? How vertically integrated are the supply chains in different countries? Does this matter? Why? How concentrated or diversified are the suppliers and consumers of the materials, components, or technologies? How much material inventory is typically stockpiled across the stages of the supply chain? How long is it stockpiled for? Given a supply disruption, how long would the inventory last? For the technologies and components of interest listed, what are the lead times at each stage of their supply chain? Category 6: Recycling Opportunities What quantities of critical materials are currently being recycled from industrial and post-consumer sources and what quantities could potentially be recycled on what timeframe? What are the technological barriers to recycling materials? What recycling process innovations would increase recycling technical and economic viability? How could design for recyclability improve the level of recycling? How are current technological trends of the specific material, component, or technology of interest (e.g., miniaturization, increased complexity) likely to affect its recyclability? What types of policies would impact recycling? Are there synergies between industries (e.g., using cadmium telluride from semiconductor recycling for solar cells)? [[Page 7089]] Category 7: Impacts of Wide-Scale Electrification We are also interested in the potential material implications of wide-scale electrification (industry, transportation, etc.). What components are needed and for what purpose to accomplish wide-scale electrification (both in the electricity infrastructure and end use applications) and what quantities will be required in what timeframe? What materials of interest are required for these components? Category 8: Additional Information Are there other materials that DOE should analyze (beyond the materials of interest) that may be of concern due to increasing demand for energy technologies and/or supply risk? Please explain and provide material content by component and energy technology. Are there other technologies or components that DOE should analyze (beyond the technologies of interest)? Please explain. Is there additional information, not requested above, that you believe DOE should consider in updating the Critical Materials Strategy? If so, please provide here. II. Confidential Business Information Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via email two well marked copies: one copy of the document marked ``confidential'' including all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non- confidential'' with the information believed to be confidential deleted. DOE will make its own determination about the confidential status of the information and treat it according to its determination. Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat submitted information as confidential include: (1) A description of the items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as confidential within the industry; (3) whether the information is generally known by or available from other sources; (4) whether the information has previously been made available to others without obligation concerning its confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the competitive injury to the submitting person that would result from public disclosure; (6) when such information might lose its confidential character due to the passage of time; and (7) why disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest. Jonathan Pershing, Principal Deputy Director for Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. [FR Doc. 2016-02676 Filed 2-9-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 10, 2016 / Notices 7087
laws’’ and ‘‘provide information on meeting on the CFPB’s Web site topic if possible. Any information
emerging practices in the consumer consumerfinance.gov. obtained as a result of this RFI is
financial products or services industry, Dated: February 5, 2016. intended to be used by the Government
including regional trends, concerns, and Christopher D’Angelo, on a non-attribution basis for planning
other relevant information.’’ (b) To carry Chief of Staff, Bureau of Consumer Financial
and strategy development. DOE will not
out the Board’s purpose, the scope of its Protection. respond to individual submissions or
activities shall include providing [FR Doc. 2016–02717 Filed 2–9–16; 8:45 am]
publish publicly a compendium of
information, analysis, and responses, except as required by
BILLING CODE 4810–AM–P
recommendations to the Bureau. The applicable law. A response to this RFI
Board will generally serve as a vehicle will not be viewed as a binding
for market intelligence and expertise for commitment to develop or pursue the
the Bureau. Its objectives will include DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY project or ideas discussed. DOE will not
identifying and assessing the impact on Request for Information (RFI) for pay for information provided under this
consumers and other market Updated Critical Materials Strategy RFI. This RFI is not accepting
participants of new, emerging, and applications for financial assistance or
changing products, practices, or AGENCY: Office of Energy Policy and financial incentives. DOE has no
services. (c) The Board will also be Systems Analysis, Department of obligation to respond to those who
available to advise and consult with the Energy. submit comments, and/or give any
Director and the Bureau on other ACTION: Notice of Request for feedback on any decision made based
matters related to the Bureau’s functions Information (RFI). on the responses received.
under the Dodd-Frank Act.
SUMMARY: In 2010, the U.S. Department FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
II. Agenda of Energy (DOE) developed and issued Requests for additional information may
a Critical Materials Strategy report be sent to materialstrategy@hq.doe.gov.
The Consumer Advisory Board will
addressing the role of rare earth and
discuss the Bureau’s strategic outlook SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
other materials in energy technologies
2016–2017 and Financial Well-Being.
and processes. An update and I. Purpose
Persons who need a reasonable additional analyses were completed the
accommodation to participate should following year. In order to update the The purpose of this RFI is to solicit
contact CFPB_504Request@cfpb.gov, 2010 and 2011 analyses, DOE is seeking feedback from industry, academia,
202–435–9EEO, 1–855–233–0362, or information from stakeholders on rare research laboratories, government
202–435–9742 (TTY) at least ten earth elements and other materials used agencies, and other stakeholders on
business days prior to the meeting or in an array of energy technologies, as issues related to the demand, supply,
event to request assistance. The request well as key materials used in the use, and costs of rare earth metals and
must identify the date, time, location, manufacturing of energy technologies other materials used in the energy
and title of the meeting or event, the that do not necessarily appear in the sector. DOE is specifically interested in
nature of the assistance requested, and final product. information on the materials and
contact information for the requester. DATES: Written comments and technologies in the following table, as
CFPB will strive to provide, but cannot information are requested no later than well as other materials of interest
guarantee that accommodation will be 5:00 p.m. ET, on April 11, 2016. identified by the respondents to this
provided for late requests. request that are used in energy
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
Individuals who wish to attend the encouraged to submit comments, which technologies:
Consumer Advisory Board meeting must must be submitted electronically to Materials of Interest
RSVP to cfpb_cabandcouncilsevents@ materialstrategy@hq.doe.gov.
cfpb.gov by noon, February 25, 2016. • Rare earth elements (e.g., cerium,
Instructions: Electronic responses dysprosium, europium, gadolinium,
Members of the public must RSVP by must be provided as attachments to an lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium,
the due date and must include ‘‘CAB’’ email. It is recommended that samarium, scandium, terbium, ytterbium,
in the subject line of the RSVP. attachments with file sizes exceeding and yttrium)
III. Availability 25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to • Platinum group metals (e.g., iridium,
ensure message delivery. Respondents palladium, platinum, rhodium, and
The Board’s agenda will be made are requested to provide the following ruthenium)
available to the public on February 10, information at the start of their response • Antimony, bismuth, cadmium, cobalt,
2016, via consumerfinance.gov. to this RFI: Company/Institution name; gallium, germanium, hafnium, helium,
Individuals should express in their Company/Institution contact; Contact’s indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese,
RSVP if they require a paper copy of the address, phone number, and email molybdenum, nickel, rhenium, selenium,
agenda. silicon, tantalum, tellurium, tungsten,
address.
vanadium, and zirconium
A recording and transcript of this Please identify your answers by
meeting will be available after the responding to a specific question or Technologies and Components of Interest
Technologies Types Components
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
Solar photovoltaics ........................................................... .......................................................................................... Thin film.
Concentrated solar power ................................................ Trough system ................................................................. Mirrors.
Power tower system ........................................................ Molten salts.
Dish engine system.
Wind turbines ................................................................... Direct drive ....................................................................... Permanent magnets.
Natural gas generators ..................................................... .......................................................................................... Superalloys.
Coatings.
Magnetic materials.
Hydropower ...................................................................... .......................................................................................... Permanent magnets.
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:22 Feb 09, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM 10FEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_7114/page/1.svg)
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 10, 2016 / Notices 7089
Category 7: Impacts of Wide-Scale (7) why disclosure of the information Docket Numbers: ER16–884–000.
Electrification would be contrary to the public interest. Applicants: Roosevelt Wind Project,
We are also interested in the potential LLC, Milo Wind Project, LLC.
Jonathan Pershing,
material implications of wide-scale Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Principal Deputy Director for Energy Policy Roosevelt-Milo Cotenancy and Common
electrification (industry, transportation, etc.).
and Systems Analysis.
• What components are needed and for Facilities Agreement & Notice Waiver
[FR Doc. 2016–02676 Filed 2–9–16; 8:45 am]
what purpose to accomplish wide-scale Request to be effective 12/18/2015.
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P Filed Date: 2/3/16.
electrification (both in the electricity
infrastructure and end use applications) and Accession Number: 20160203–5235.
what quantities will be required in what Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16.
timeframe?
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Docket Numbers: ER16–885–000.
• What materials of interest are required Federal Energy Regulatory Applicants: Entergy Louisiana, LLC,
for these components? Entergy New Orleans, Inc., Entergy
Commission
Category 8: Additional Information Arkansas, Inc.
Combined Notice of Filings #1 Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
• Are there other materials that DOE
Union Power Station Joint Operating
should analyze (beyond the materials of Take notice that the Commission
Agreement to be effective 12/31/9998.
interest) that may be of concern due to received the following electric rate
increasing demand for energy technologies
Filed Date: 2/3/16.
filings:
and/or supply risk? Please explain and
Accession Number: 20160203–5239.
Docket Numbers: ER14–2875–003. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16.
provide material content by component and Applicants: UNS Electric, Inc.
energy technology. Docket Numbers: ER16–886–000.
Description: Compliance filing:
• Are there other technologies or Applicants: Midcontinent
Amended Formula Rate Protocols
components that DOE should analyze Independent System Operator, Inc.
Compliance Filing to be effective 11/14/
(beyond the technologies of interest)? Please Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2014.
explain. Filed Date: 2/4/16. 2016–02–03_SA 2677 GRE–NSP 1st Rev
• Is there additional information, not Accession Number: 20160204–5072. GIA (J278) to be effective 2/4/2016.
requested above, that you believe DOE Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/25/16. Filed Date: 2/3/16.
should consider in updating the Critical Accession Number: 20160203–5241.
Materials Strategy? If so, please provide here.
Docket Numbers: ER15–2331–001. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16.
Applicants: PJM Interconnection,
II. Confidential Business Information L.L.C., Baltimore Gas and Electric Docket Numbers: ER16–887–000.
Company. Applicants: Milo Wind Project, LLC.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any Description: Compliance filing: BGE Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Milo
person submitting information that he submits revisions to Attach. H–2A re: Certificate of Concurrence to Roosevelt-
or she believes to be confidential and Sept 30 Order citation & formatting to be Milo CFA and Notice Waiver Request to
exempt by law from public disclosure effective 10/1/2015. be effective 12/18/2015.
should submit via email two well Filed Date: 2/3/16. Filed Date: 2/3/16.
marked copies: one copy of the Accession Number: 20160203–5146. Accession Number: 20160203–5245.
document marked ‘‘confidential’’ Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16.
including all the information believed to Docket Numbers: ER16–56–001. Docket Numbers: ER16–888–000.
be confidential, and one copy of the Applicants: Midcontinent Applicants: Midcontinent
document marked ‘‘non-confidential’’ Independent System Operator, Inc. Independent System Operator, Inc.,
with the information believed to be Description: Compliance filing: 2016– Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., Division
confidential deleted. DOE will make its 02–03_Hurdle Rate Removal of MDU Resources Inc.
own determination about the Compliance Filing to be effective 2/1/ Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
confidential status of the information 2016. 2016–02–04_MDU Attachment O—30.9
Filed Date: 2/3/16. Filing to be effective 4/4/2016.
and treat it according to its
Accession Number: 20160203–5197. Filed Date: 2/4/16.
determination.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16. Accession Number: 20160204–5040.
Factors of interest to DOE when Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/25/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–270–002.
evaluating requests to treat submitted Applicants: Midcontinent Docket Numbers: ER16–889–000.
information as confidential include: (1) Independent System Operator, Inc. Applicants: Midcontinent
A description of the items; (2) whether Description: Tariff Amendment: Independent System Operator, Inc.
and why such items are customarily 2016–02–03_SA 2863 2nd Amendment Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
treated as confidential within the to ATC Construction Management 2016–02–04_SA 2718 Termination of
industry; (3) whether the information is Agreement to be effective 10/30/2015. Duke Energy Indiana-Duke Energy J333/
generally known by or available from Filed Date: 2/3/16. J334 GIA to be effective 4/16/2016.
other sources; (4) whether the Accession Number: 20160203–5201. Filed Date: 2/4/16.
information has previously been made Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16. Accession Number: 20160204–5110.
available to others without obligation Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/25/16.
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES2
Docket Numbers: ER16–883–000.
concerning its confidentiality; (5) an Applicants: Bishop Hill Energy LLC. Docket Numbers: ER16–890–000.
explanation of the competitive injury to Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Applicants: Summer Solar LLC.
the submitting person that would result Amended and Restated Assignment, Co- Description: Baseline eTariff Filing:
from public disclosure; (6) when such Tenancy, and Shared Facilities Summer Solar LLC MBR Tariff to be
information might lose its confidential Agreement to be effective 4/4/2016. effective 3/4/2016.
character due to the passage of time; and Filed Date: 2/3/16. Filed Date: 2/4/16.
Accession Number: 20160203–5221. Accession Number: 20160204–5120.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/24/16. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 2/25/16.
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:22 Feb 09, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM 10FEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_7114/page/3.svg)
Document Created: 2016-02-10 00:19:17
Document Modified: 2016-02-10 00:19:17
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of Request for Information (RFI). | |
| Dates | Written comments and information are requested no later than 5:00 p.m. ET, on April 11, 2016. | |
| Contact | Requests for additional information may be sent to [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 7087 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR