NASA CAPABILITIES TECHNOLOGY IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION ERDA SLIDE 1 to the program needs and objectives as defined by other agencies, primarily by ERDA. These are necessary resources so that we can properly understand their problems and get them translated into the types of things which we feel NASA can productively do. [Slide.] Shown here is a list of areas of emphasis which we are currently working on. OFFICE OF ENERGY PROGRAMS AREAS OF EMPHASIS Photovoltaics (solar cells). Fuel cell systems. Hydrogen systems. Advanced coal energy extraction. Magneto hydrodynamics (MHD). Energy storage systems. Combustion technology. Composites, polymers and ceramics (materials). Heat exchanger technology. These areas are approved by the ERDA-NASA Coordination Committee, as those in which the NASA capability might be most useful. They also serve as a means of helping us to focus our activity and not go wandering out into all conceivable directions. I will not attempt to go through all of those this morning. I might, however, point out one in the middle called advanced coal energy extraction, which is the activity where we work with the Department of Interior and Bureau of Mines. At this point in time, only four of those reimbursable activities are the large or major areas. MAJOR REIMBURSABLE AREAS Wind turbine generators. Gas turbine and stirling engines Electric and hybrid vehicles Over 80 percent of our current reimbursable effort is contained within these four areas of activity. This morning I would like to touch very briefly on each of these to give you a feel for the nature of what we are doing. One general comment is appropriate. Particularly with respect to respect to solar energy, but really, in all energy areas, the problem is to develop low cost, reliable, long-lifetime equipment. As you will see we know how to do almost all of these things from a strict technical standpoint. What we do not know how to do is to get them at low cost, with high reliability and long life. I would also like to point out that the wind turbine generator activity is being conducted primarily by our Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In terms of the photovoltaics or solar cell projects, one is at the jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and an applications project is at the Lewis Research Center. Solar heating and cooling is conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and the advanced ground propulsion activity is concentrated primarily at Lewis; however, in electric and hybrid vehicles, we have a coordinated effort using both Lewis and JPL. Turning to the first area wind: Shown here is a picture of the first large windmill to be built in this country since, I believe, 1941. It was dedicated in October 1975 and serves us as a research tool. It has been in operation since October and we have learned a great deal by using it. At this point in time we have four distinct projects. The first is called the MOD-O wind turbine; it has a blade diameter of 125 feet. Two more of those are being built to obtain early experience when connected directly to utility grid networks. Two much larger machines are being built under contract with General Electric these, MOD-I machines, will have a rated capability of 1,500 kilowatts. Last month we released a request for proposal for the MOD (2) machine which is expected to have a blade diameter of about 300 feet. Shown on the next chart is at least one artist's concept of how these large machines might look. (Slide.) Moving now to the photovoltaics or solar cell project, the cost elements of the project, being conducted at the JPL, are shown here. Our first procurement of these arrays averaged somewhat over $20 per peak watt. The objective of this project is to achieve a price of $0.50 per peak watt, in 1974 dollars, by 1986. This chart generally depicts the magnitude of that cost reduction, as well as emphasizing our feeling that we have to shift from so-called "ingot" technology to full automated production if we are to achieve this rather ambitious cost-reduction goal. The Lewis Research Center project in photovoltaics is test and application of the arrays purchased and developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Shown here is an installation in a Forest Service lookout tower that has recently been completed. It is interesting to note that when the price of the solar cell arrays is reduced to about $7 per peak watt, it appears that the photovoltaic form of electric power generation will be competitive with the gasoline motor generators they are currently using. Another interesting application has been the use of solar arrays to power a refrigerator for the Papago Indian Village in Arizona. The importance here is that the refrigeration capability provides them with medicines which require storage in refrigeration and would not otherwise be available. Next, the heating and cooling activity is at Marshall. Unfortunately, pictures of solar heating and cooling are never very dramatic. This shows some of the solar collectors that have been installed at the Marshall Space Center that are undergoing initial integration system testing. We have two major projects at Marshall for ERDA. |