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QUESTIONS FOR INDUSTRY ON

SUGGESTED MANAGEMENT APPROACH

TO SERI, Page 2

4)

Do any of the following have a significant bearing on SERI's likely successes or its relationship to industry.

5)

(a) Whether it is staffed or managed by Government
people;

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

Whether its assets (land and major facilities) are
owned by the Government, even though perhaps
operated under private contract

through purchase

through donation

through use of existing Gov-
ernment land and major
facilities;

Whether it is for-profit or not-for-profit;

Whether it operates as a free-standing organiza-
tion under its own independent board, or is man-
aged for the federal Government by industry, by
academia or other not-for-profit institution (sing-
ly or in combination), or by some state govern-
ment -- the last-named alone or in combination
with interested organizations in that state?

Whether it can work only for ERDA or also for
other Government and not-for-profit (e.g., uni-
versities) institutions? For industry?

How can SERI be the Government's "center-of-excellence" in the solar energy field and yet not be competitive for manpower, funds, or status with industry, academia, or other private/state-level public facilities in the field?

6)

In the technical cycle from pure research to application, are there any desirable limits on the scope of SERI's activities? Where should its "center-of-gravity" be in the cycle, within the limits suggested?

Addendum 4

INDUSTRY CONFERENCE ON THE SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Wednesday, October 8, 1975

MITRE CORPORATION 1820 DOLLEY MADISON BLVD., MCLEAN, VA. 22101

BACKGROUND AND CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES:

In Section 10 of Public Law (93-473) it says that a Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) is to be formed, but there the congressional prescription stops. To administer this provision of the law, ERDA is seeking recommendations for the formation of a SERI. The MITRE Corporation, Washington Operations is under contract to ERDA to survey and report the opinions of representatives of the solar energy industry. Towards that end we have, of course, already solicited (through correspondence) the opinions of you members of this conference of industry representatives. The plan for the conference is: (1) to quickly review our organization of your already received opinions, (2) to allow you to discuss your views on the SERI with reference to what others of your industry group are saying. The aim is clarification of our statements of your opinions and increased comprehensiveness in our report, rather than a consensus view. Our objective is to have your opinions and recommendations made known to those ERDA managers who must formulate a SERI charter, decide the budget request, and prepare an acquisition and development plan for their administration and the Congress.

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Topic

Organization of the MITRE report to the
Assistant Administrator for Solar, Geothermal,
and Advanced Energy Systems: Solar Industry
Opinion on the Formation of a Solar Energy
Research Institute (SERI)

A role for the SERI in solar energy research

Break

Missions (functions) for the SERI; and the Appropriate scope of these functions (priorities and limitations)

Lunch (to be served outside the conference room)

Organization and staffing of the SERI

Approach to the formation and long-term
development of the SERI

Conference ends

50

DISTRIBUTION LIST

D-10

C. A. Zraket

D-11

S. Blum

D-12

H. Benington

C. Grandy

W-50

R. Greeley

M. Klein

J. O'Leary

R. Ouellette

W-51

J. Pfeffer

W-52

G. Bennington

E. Friedman

L. Goldberg

F. Grover

A. Johnson

J. Just

R. Pikul

K. Rebibo

M. Schol1

E. Ward

T. Wright

W-53

G. Erskine

V. Wenk

W-54

J. Golden

W-55

E. Sharp

J. Stone

W-50 Library (50)

Dr. John Mock (100)

Energy Research and Development Administration

Congress (100)

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ERDA ANNOUNCES PLANS TO PUBLISH GUIDELINES, SITE-SELECTION CRITERIA FOR SOLAR INSTITUTE

The Energy Research and Development Administration announced today it will publish guidelines and site-selection criteria in October for a Solar Energy Research Institute and distribute them to parties interested in proposing sites for the facility.

The guidelines and criteria will be released shortly after a detailed study, of the institute by the National Research Council on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering is submitted to ERDA in late September.

The study by the academies will contain recommendations to ERDA as to the role, mission and organizational structure of the institute. Views of a broad segment of the scientific and engineering community are being received.

While the study by the two academies has been in progress, ERDA's Division of Solar Energy has been receiving the views of the public, institutions and states in developing a site-selection process. The agency is identifying the significant issues to be considered in establishing the new institute.

A key issue under consideration is whether to separate the site-selection decision from decision on selecting a managing organization for the institute.

After the guidelines and criteria are published, approximately 45 days will be allowed to submit proposals. During this period, ERDA will conduct an information briefing in Washington to aid parties on procedures for submitting proposals.

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ERDA ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF

SOLAR ENERGY RE CEARCH INSTITUTE PROJECT OFFICE

Establishment of a project office to develop management guidelines and site evaluation criteria for a new National Solar Energy Research Institute was announced today by the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA). Formation of the institute is provided by the Solar Energy Rescarch, Development and Demonstration Act to perform research, development and related functions in support of the National Solar Energy Program.

R. Phillip McGee, Senior Engineer, in ERDA's Division of Physical Research, has been appointed Manager of the Project Office. The office will prepare recommendations to Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Administrator of ERDA, on:

1. The role and mission of the Solar Energy Research
Institute (SERI).

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3. The criteria for evaluating proposed sites for
SERI.

The Project Office has set November as a target date to announce site evaluation criteria and to solicit proposals for sites. A public meeting to answer questions on the criteria will be scheduled following the public announcement, and a deadline for submission of proposals will be announced. This deadline is expected to be not less than 45 days after the November announcement.

TION

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