(Photo by Bill Bumgarner)
The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new initiative to fund research on hydraulic hybrid technology carried out at universities, corporations and individuals throughout the United States. This initiative will be run through the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality with a total of $1.35 million available and up to $450,000 available for a particular program. The EPA has set a December deadline for applications and intends to pick up to five applicants who have research that could alter America’s energy future.
EPA officials will look primarily for applicants who are willing to work through the agency’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emission Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This facility has demonstration vehicles, researchers and diagnostic equipment to determine if hydraulic hybrid research can become a reality. The EPA’s hope is that the chosen applicants will spend time in residency at the laboratory or travel frequently to provide direction for their research.
Several areas of research will be given top priority as the application deadline approaches. The EPA wants to find research on applying hydraulic technology to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with the goal of increasing fuel efficiency. Applicants with ideas on improving efficiency for air conditioning and power brake systems through better design will be given multiple looks. The agency is also looking for auto experts who can adjust the design of cars, trucks and SUVs to maximize efficiency while using hydraulic elements. Applicants with research on developing functional variable timing systems using hydraulics will also be given priority by the EPA’s grant program. While this list is not exclusive, the innovations sought by the EPA are intended to turn homemade projects and incomplete research into practical solutions for this generation’s energy issues.
The agency is casting its net wide in terms of programs eligible for these grants. Officials have said that they will take applications from local governments, hospitals, non-profit organizations and colleges among other groups as long as they are grounded in solid research. This expansive list of eligible organizations indicates that the EPA recognizes the importance of leaving no stone unturned. While universities and federally funded laboratories have unparalleled resources, it may be a local commission or a private college with the next big idea on how to make hydraulic hybrid technology commonplace.
