Increased funding for natural gas R&D

The APGA has signed a congressional budget request letter to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations asking for increased funding for R&D. The letter was developed by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and proposes an aggressive R&D program for the 2014 fiscal year.

The letter is asking that the committees provide US$ 100 million for the Natural Gas Technologies Account for environmental research. This environmental portion will be linked to onshore natural gas exploration and production, including flaring, water management, wellbore integrity, hydraulic fracturing alternatives and emissions, as well as US$ 20 million for waste heat recovery and combined heat and power R&D.

The letter continues to ask for US$ 20 million for R&D related to energy efficiency efforts for direct use of natural gas with US$ 8 million earmarked for commercial R&D projects, including gas heat pump heating and water heating, onsite CHP, and efficiencies for commercial food service, and with US$ 12 million for residential R&D projects, including gas heat pumps for space conditioning and water heating, building systems research and micro CHP in the residential sector. Also, the letter is look for US$ 30 million to be made available for natural gas vehicle and fuelling infrastructure research, development, and technology demonstrations.

Finally, the letter asks for supplemental funding for DOE buildings R&D, advanced manufacturing office CHP and NGVs, plus a substantial addition to the fossil energy R&D budget for shale gas environmental and water management R&D, The fossil natural gas budget has been minimal in recent years.

Adapted from press release by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/05042013/more_natural_gas_funding_wanted/