DOE laboratory looking for participants for APU fuel cell study

The Dept. of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is seeking request for proposals (RFP) for the analysis and demonstration of fuel cell-based auxiliary power units (APUs), for refrigerated trucks.

Medium-duty refrigerated truck users and fuel cell and refrigeration unit manufacturers are encouraged to respond, the organization said. A total of $650,000 may be awarded with the possibility of more than one award issued within this funding limit.  Each award may facilitate deployment of between two and four fuel cell-based APUs, PNNL said. A vendor team may submit multiple proposals. The minimum cost share is 50%. A cost benefit and payback analysis will be required as part of the project.

The period of performance for the deployment and demonstration of the fuel cell-based auxiliary power units on commercial refrigerated, short-haul and medium-duty trucks is 12 to 24 months. Trucks will be expected to demonstrate a minimum of 400 operating hours of commercial cargo deliveries during this time. The systems should be capable of providing operating data to PNNL associated with the fuel cell, refrigeration unit, truck and ambient temperatures.

The RFP and accompanying information can be found at http://www.pnl.gov/contracts/solicitations/. Any prospective offeror desiring an explanation or interpretation of the RFP must request it in writing (e-mailed to: Ms. Kit Steichen McBurney at [email protected]) with the subject line “RFP for Demonstration of Fuel Cell-Based Auxiliary Power Units for Refrigerated Trucks.”