President’s FY2014 Budget boosts DOE vehicle technology spending 75% to $575M; $282M for advanced biofuels
10 April 2013
President Obama’s FY 2014 budget proposal submitted to Congress provides $28.4 billion in discretionary funds for the Department of Energy, an 8% increase above the 2012 enacted level. Among the direct transportation-related highlights of the department’s budget proposal are $575 million for advanced vehicle technologies research, an increase of 75% over the enacted 2012 level; $282 million for the next-generation of advanced biofuels research; and the $2 billion Energy Security Trust to transition cars and trucks off of oil. (Earlier post.)
Other highlights include more than $5 billion (+5.7% over the 2012 enacted level) for the Office of Science for basic research and research infrastructure; $615 million to increase the use and decrease the costs of clean power from solar, wind, geothermal, and water energy; $365 million in advanced manufacturing research and development; and $147 million in research and development of smart grid investments, cybersecurity for energy control systems, and permitting, sitting, and analysis activities.
Further highlights include $80 million for advanced technologies and tools that improve clean energy integration into the grid; and $16 million to enhance energy infrastructure security and energy recovery capabilities.
The $575 million slated for the Office of Vehicle Technologies will support a program focused on a suite of technologies from transportation electrification to lightweight materials, advanced combustion engines, and non-petroleum fuels and lubricant technologies.
The program incorporates a DOE grand challenge, the EV Everywhere Initiative, to develop the technologies to make electric-powered vehicles as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles for the average American family by 2020. The EV Everywhere Initiative will include accelerated R&D on emerging battery technologies and innovative battery manufacturing processes, power electronics, and electric motors. The program also supports early demonstration, field validation, and community-scale deployment of advanced vehicle technologies, as well as efforts to reduce the vehicle miles traveled by the public.
The $282 million for biofuels will go to develop and demonstrate conversion technologies to produce cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels, such as algae-derived biofuels and “drop-in” replacements for diesel and jet fuel, for civilian and military uses.
In addition, the budget supports long-term research efforts to promote advanced vehicles, including a battery and energy storage hub, continued fuel cell research, and three Bioenergy Research Centers aimed at developing the scientific understanding underpinning new technological solutions that will enable increased production of advanced biofuels.
Hydrogen technology sees a boost to $100 million, up 8.7% from 2012; the budget also requests $386 million for ARPA-E, an increase of 30% from 2012.
EV Everywhere Initiative
You are going to have to provide strong incentives. We will have LEAF, Focus EV, Tesla and others vying for a few customers. Start showing Total Cost of Ownership, push a 2x battery improvement and get one with 140 mile (real) range for $20,000.
Posted by: SJC | 10 April 2013 at 06:00 PM
One of the previous posts mentioned natural gas conversion of cars in the U.S. If you have to leave your car for days, it costs you $5000 and there are few filling stations, I don't think that is very likely to happen.
When people can go to the filling station and fill up with gasoline that is 20% synthetic at 20 cents less per gallon, with cleaner air and less imported oil, that is more likely to happen.
If we have limited resources, put those in an area that is most likely to succeed and do the most good. Oil companies may not like synthetic fuels, until they can make money off of them. Initially it may be power plant and natural gas companies.
Posted by: SJC | 13 April 2013 at 02:47 PM
In a time of sequestration, the Adminsitration can't restrain itself from shoveling money into ever more boondoggles...
Posted by: D | 23 April 2013 at 08:54 AM