reducing costs by a factor of 100 to 1,000. In searching for ways to reduce costs, one project has led to improved manufacturing methods of depositing high-purity silicon on the metal base. Another has inaugurated the pilot production of cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide calls for laboratory and environmental testing. A third has shown some indications of possibilities for low cost and high efficiency in an approach that employes a Schottky barrier, that is, a contact between a metal and a semiconductor. In spite of present high costs some applications, such as this next illustration (AD/RA 73-2317) of a solar powered remote radio beacon, are very attractive because of difficult operating regimes. With further work to reduce costs, we feel that even more applications may be found.

Study of the utilization of ocean thermal differences and ocean currents to generate electricity has identified several conceptual approaches. One is shown in this next chart (ATA 73-1417). In this approach, a temperature differential of about 40°-that is the difference between the surface and the great depths of water to drive a specially designed turbine. Progress to date has led to the selection of propane and ammonia as working fluids worthy of further consideration. The major barriers are the capital costs and the need to insure the security of the equipment against weather and other hazards.

The potential of wind energy to supply electricity is also under investigation (ATA 73–1365). Windmills have been used as energy sources for a long time, but wind as a significant energy reservoir to meet select local and regional needs on any substantial scale remains to be tapped. In the 1940's, a windmill generating 1.25 megawatts was built and operated at Grandpa's Knob, Vt., but was shut down ultimately because of structural failure of the blades. That, incidentally, is quite a large installation. From tip to tip on this blades you have a dimension of 130 to 140 feet. If present day materials and improved structural design had been available, that problem might not have occurred. At present, no major technical barriers to expansion of the application of windpower are known. It is important to verify that they do not exist, or to correct that impression.

The last two subprogram areas involve organic materials, the production of such materials through photosynthesis, and the conversion of wastes and other materials to fuels. The use of photosynthetically produced fuels has been underway for a long time as represented by the burning of firewood. The challenge now is to develop such fuels so that they are clean burning and thus relatively nonpolluting. Investigation is also underway into the mechanism for producing hydrogen from water through photosynthesis of green algae in conjunction with the bacterially produced enzyme, hydrogenase. Our plans provide for carrying the first subprogram area into phase 1 in the next 3 years.

As a possible early application in the last area of conversion, we are examining the production of methane from human and animal wastes. These schemes are attractive because they help meet energy costs associated with environmental protection. A preliminary study of the economics of a plant converting some 2,000 tons of solid wastes per day into fuels, by the pyrolysis process, indicates that it could be operated by a municipality at no net cost. There could even perhaps be some excess energy.

Laboratory experiments have been carried out on the production of methane gas by digesting solid organic waste. Production rates and their variation with materials, temperature, liquid solution, and feed rate have been measured (ATA 73-1412). Our schedule provides for initiating systems proof-of-concept experiments in this area in the next 3 years.

The work program in each of the seven subprogram areas of solar energy is planned to lead to systems proof-of-concept experiments. As we conclude phase 0 and phase 1 in each area, we will make a comprehensive evaluation of the potentials and the drawbacks before deciding whether and how to proceed. Resources will be supplemented in the subprogram areas that prove to be cost-effective, and areas that do not demonstrate such promise will be dropped or deemphasized. By the 1980's we anticipate that industry will be delivering solar energy equipment to customers in several of our subprogram areas leading to a measurable reduction in our use of oil and other scarce fossil fuels, as I noted earlier in the case of heating and cooling abilities.

Now let me turn to the management steps being taken to implement the solar energy program. As noted earlier President Nixon has stated that the management of the national effort on terrestrial solar energy is focused in the National Science Foundation. Within the Foundation's RANN organization, we have organized a solar energy task force, which mobilizes the full spectrum of our interdisciplinary expertise, thus enabling us to move forward aggressively. The task force is under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Director for Program Management in the Research Applications Directorate (AD/ RA 73-2323). This task force has the responsibility for developing and implementing the overall solar energy program plan.

A basic element of the solar energy program plan is the results of the year-long study effort of the Solar Energy Panel, organized in 1972 by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and comprised of some 44 scientists, engineers, economists, environmentalists and sociologists. The report of this panel, "An Assessment of Solar Energy as a National Energy Resource," was published in January 1973.

The management of the program also provides for conferences and workshops of research grantees and contractors. During the past several months we held the first annual program-wide conference and the first three annual workshops for subprogram areas. From these workshops important recommendations are received on the direction and content of required research efforts.

Coordination with other involved Government agencies has been carried on, up to now, through the RANN Advanced Technology Applications Panel of the Federal Council on Science and Technology. We have also recently organized the Inter-Agency Panel on Terrestrial Applications of Solar Energy, to deal specifically with this program. In Fiscal Year 1974 we anticipate soliciting the support of industry, not-for-profit organizations, and national laboratories. We intend to enlist the support on a best performer basis. We are in continuous consultation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to determine the unique qualifications within the NASA organization that should be applied to the program.

For some time, individuals in the NASA field centers have taken part in the program by providing reviews of proposals we receive for funded research. We expect that this cooperation will continue. We have invited the NASA Lewis Research Center to undertake tasks in wind energy research and other subprogram areas.

The Lewis Research Center is sponsoring a wind energy workshop, and is actively examining our suggestions to participate in other areas. I feel sure that arrangements will be worked out for further NASA participation in the solar energy program. For example, we have also initiated discussions leading to the possibility of further participation by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the solar energy program. Discussions on further participation in the energy program by the laboratories of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of Defense are also under way. I think it is important to note, Mr. Chairman, that technologies from the space program are making important contributions to the terrestrial applications of solar energy, including, for example, development in the area of solar thermal systems; the early developments of selective optical coatings and heat pipe developments actually came out of the military space program. We are moving aggressively to put them to work dealing with our domestic energy problems.

Finally, I should mention the international aspects of solar energy. The NSF has been designated as the lead agency for U.S.-U.S.S.R. cooperation in solar energy. Members of our staff have visited the Soviet Union and both solar and geothermal energy were included. in a cooperative agreement signed in March 1973. We are also engaged in cooperative activities with other European countries.

In addition to the U.S.S.R., we are aware of significant solar energy activities in Japan, France, Israel, India, Canada, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, and Greece, as well as smaller efforts in a number of other countries. Japan has over a million domestic solar water heaters in use. France has built three solar-heated homes and plans 31 others. Australia is operating solar-powered water distillation systems. In the minds of some, therefore, the indications are that solar energy may well emerge as an area of international technological competition.

In summary, the NSF research effort has contributed to the understanding of our total energy system, identified options and opportunities for advanced research and technological development, and established the basis for proceeding with a hard-driving solar energy effort. Solar energy gives excellent prospects for providing substantial help in dealing with the critical energy problems forecast for the 1980's and beyond. Our goals in solar utilization as we move into the next century (AD/RA 73-2329) are to provide some 35 percent of the energy needed for building heating and cooling and to supply the energy equivalent of 30 percent of the Nation's gas fuel, 10 percent of the Nation's liquid fuel and 20 percent of the Nation's electric energy.

This completes my statement, Mr. Chairman. We will be pleased, with my colleagues, to answer any questions you may have.

[Charts attached to Dr. Eggers' statement follow:].