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US-China Clean Energy Research Center issues solicitation to address the energy-water nexus www.us-china-cerc.org

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2015

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MRS Bulletin , Volume 40 , Issue 4: Multiscale mechanics of biological, bioinspired, and biomedical materials , April 2015 , pp. 307
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Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a $12.5 million Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for a new technical track under the US-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) that addresses water-related aspects of energy production and use. The solicitation calls for the formation of a US-based consortium to work with Chinese counterparts to bolster collaborative efforts to help ensure energy, water, and environmental security and to combat climate change. The consortium will be funded with $12.5 million DOE support and $12.5 million recipient cost share for a total of $25 million over the five-year period of performance.

“Water resource scarcity, variability, and uncertainty are impacting energy systems in the [United States] and China,” said Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Increasing collaboration through the CERC engages the technical resources of both countries, opening opportunities for researchers and industrial partners to address our common challenges in the energy-water nexus. By leveraging science, technology and innovation, we can ensure our collective energy and water security.”

This US investment will be matched by an equivalent effort in China, bringing the total bilateral investment to $50 million. The new energy-water track was initially announced in November 2014, when President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping renewed their commitment to CERC with $200 million in total funding over five years. In addition to expanding work under CERC by $50 million for research in energy and water, the announcement in November extends ongoing collaborative efforts to 2020, adding $150 million to continue initiatives already under way. These focus on the development and deployment of clean vehicles, building energy efficiency, and advanced coal technologies for carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration.

This FOA also seeks to transform how water is used in energy production and electricity generation, while improving water quality and availability for a diverse range of human applications. It builds on the contents of The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenge and Opportunities, which DOE issued in June 2014.

Topics covered in the FOA include water use reduction at thermoelectric plants; treatment and management of nontraditional waters; improving sustainable hydropower design and operation; climate impact modeling, methods, and scenarios to support improved understanding of energy and water systems; and data and analysis to inform planning, policy, and other decisions.