Genetic Research for Biomass Feedstocks Question: Explain the need to proceed with the new genetics program mentioned in your statement. What funding level is requested in FY 85? Answer: The Department request includes $1.5 million for genetics research to improve selected species of high energy potential. Previous efforts to develop biomass feedstocks focused on the identification of superior inheritable characteristics within species. Planned efforts will examine the potential to develop energy crops which combine desirable genetic characteristics for high energy content and productivity, and ability to survive harsh conditions and disease. The Department considers this an opportunity to achieve significant breakthroughs and a prudent complement which builds upon the more measured progress expected through less advanced techniques. Photovoltaic Industry Question: Discuss briefly the progress and accomplishments of the PV industry over the last five years. Answer: The most impressive gains have been in production volume which increased about ten times, from 2 Megawatts in 1979 to 20 Megawatts in 1984. Prices have declined by more than 50 percent. The quality of product, mainly measured in durability, has increased so that projected lifetimes of modules have risen from less than 5 years to well over 15 years. Photovoltaic Materials Research Question: Explain the proposed increase in materials research. Answer: The increase for materials research for photovoltaics from $26,000,000 in FY 1983 and in FY 1984 to $31,000,000 in FY 1985 is due to the momentum and opportunities generated recently in several areas of both single-junction thin films devices and advanced multiple-junction devices. In the singlejunction thin film activity, the amorphous silicon initiative has resulted in three cost-sharing industrial contracts which will continue through FY 1985 into FY 1986. The copper-indium-diselenide and the cadmium telluride activities are moving rapidly toward a solution of key problem areas for which the researchers have already developed improved understanding and are now ready to apply significantly more focused research efforts. Similar improved understanding has been developed for the very high efficiency multiple-junction devices. The major issues to be addressed through FY 1985 funding include depositing higher-quality amorphous silicon more rapidly while maintaining desirable uniform properties, eliminating instabilities associated with contacts, developing interface connections for multiple-junction devices, and developing amorphous silicon alloys and polycrystalline thin film materials with appropriate bandgap properties for multi-junction devices. Some of the additional funds will be used to improve the measurement facilities and capabilities for characterizing the physical and chemical properties of these newer materials and to initiate a university basic research activity aimed at bringing in new ideas for advancing photovoltaic conversion technology through coordinated basic research and education. Innovative Concepts-University Research Question: How much is requested for innovative concepts university research? Answer: The innovative concepts request is for $2,500,000 which will support a variety of advanced research activities. The program has been supporting a "new ideas" solicitation on an annual basis which has led to support of initial studies on new materials, coatings. structures, models, and processes with potential usefulness for photovoltaic technology. The FY 1985 funding will be partially used to support the most promising of the ongoing "new ideas" and allow for another solicitation. The funds will also be used to continue supporting the DOE-wide Small Business Innovative Research project and for a university basic research activity to advance photovoltaic conversion technology through coordinated basic research and education. Photovoltaic Systems Research Question: What is the rationale for the reduction in systems research? Answer: Industry is now a strong performer in this area, at times leading the Federal program. Many critical objectives have been achieved. It is felt that concentration on attaining major potential increases in performance and efficiency and less costly and more durable photovoltaic modules is the more appropriate use of Federal resources. Single Junction Thin-Film Cells Question: What is the rationale for the emphasis on single-junction thin film cell R&D? Answer: The emphasis on single-junction thin film cell R&D is based on the fact that the highest probability of meeting the long-range goal for photovoltaics, producing electricity competitively with other electricity generating options, lies with these thin film cells. A second reason for emphasising this activity is that its results will provide a valuable technology base for future developments in multiple-junction high efficiency devices. This element also includes development of new measurement techniques, instrumentation and analysis, and insolation research, all of which assist the entire PV program as well as other solar activities. Sacramento Municipal Utility District Question: What is the status of the SMUD project? Why is there no request for funding in FY 85? Answer: The first megawatt is under construction and will be operational in June 1984. The second megawatt will be operational approximately one year later. A concept reevaluation study is underway to determine the optimal design for SMUD's subsequent increments. Thus far, SMUD has successfully resolved several systems level questions including cost-effective grounding, factory mounting and prewiring of modules into large panels, and the optimization of very light yet strong mounting structures. No funds are being requested in FY 1985 because there are very limited research and development objectives that would be met by adding costly capacity, compared to the far greater impact that would be achieved by directing resources to advanced photovoltaic technology. Additionally, other privately funded projects of significant size are under way, through which many of the issues concerning photovoltaic utility applications can be addressed without Federal funding. Mod-2 Status Question: Would you please provide the Committee with a status report on the Mod-2 program? Answer: Repairs and improvement modifications on the three turbines at Goldendale, WA. are nearly complete. Test operations of the full cluster are scheduled to begin again in April. A comprehensive test program is planned that will include studies on aerodynamic rotor performance and structural loads, both of which were different from those expected in earlier testing. These research operations are expected to continue into FY 1985. Mod-5B Question: What is the current status of the Mod-5B project? Answer: The Mod-5B contractor, Boeing, has completed conceptual design and is currently in the detailed design phase. In 1983, Boeing initiated negotiations for a 50/50 cost-sharing agreement with the Government. Boeing is currently preparing a revised cost-sharing proposal that is anticipated in the next several weeks. GE Withdrawal from Mod-5 Program Questions: Would you explain the reasons for GE withdrawing from the Mod-5 program? Answer: GE's stated reasons for withdrawing were the declining price of oil, lower forecasts of utility growth, the planned expiration of alternative energy tax credits, and an apparent decrease in investor interest in renewable energy sources. Assistance to Smaller Wind Technologies Question: Please discuss the activities proposed in Answer: The Rocky Flats Small Systems Test Center has facilities available to the small wind industry for fee-paid testing. This allows smaller companies the opportunity to perform systems tests on their machines that would not otherwise be possible due to high capital equipment costs and personnel requirements. The Small Systems Test Center also engages in cooperative testing programs with manufacturers and users of small wind systems. For these tests, portable data acquisition systems are located on-site at a commercial wind project. The data collected and analyses performed are then available to both the manufacturers and to the Rocky Flats research team. In this way, both parties benefit from a relatively low-cost test program. Other responsible laboratories such as Sandia, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, and NASA also perform efforts with windfarm developers or small systems manufacturers. In addition to Rocky Flats-specific efforts, the generic aerodynamic and structural research proposed for FY 1985 supports small systems as well as larger ones because the technical issues, such as three dimensional airflow, dynamic stall, and turbulence, apply to all types of systems. Small Systems Test Center Question: Would you comment in detail on the need for $1.7 million for the Small Systems Test Center? Answer: The Rocky Flats Small Systems Test Center performs generic research and provides manufacturers the opportunity to have experimental and analytical testing of their products performed on a fee-paid basis. The small wind turbine manufacturers are predominantly small businesses whose limited resources would preclude in-house prototype testing and fault identification. The funding requested is that which is required to maintain critical mass of technical support at the Center. Testing services provided include atmospheric performance testing, dynamometer testing for structural analysis, controlled velocity testing to evaluate a turbine's power curve, and data acquisition in field testing. The same technical staff who perform the tests are involved in generic research in aerodynamics, structural dynamics, systems studies and electric systems research such as variable speed generators. Department of Energy funding is supplemented by the fee-paid testing as well as funding from other Government agencies. For example, the Department of Defense and State Department (U.S. AID) are beginning to draw heavily on Test Center capabilities. Status of Repowering Design Question: Congress has provided funding for repowering design activities over the last few years. What is the status of this effort? Why is no funding requested in FY 85? Answer: Congress has appropriated a total of $12.5 million for repowering over the FY 1983 and FY 1984 time period. A Program Opportunity Notice (PON) was issued on March 31, 1983, for "Final Design and Subsystem/Component Testing for Solar Central Receiver Repowering Applications." In September 1983, the Department completed evaluations of PON submissions. A single cost-shared Final Design effort proposed by Rockwell International in conjunction with Pacific Gas and Electric and Bechtel National Inc., was selected as the proposal with the highest probability of success. It is expected that approximately $6.5 million will be required to complete the final design and other supporting activities. In addition, nearly $6.0 million will be required to support Subsystem/Component Testing by a consortium comprised of the following organizations; Babcock & Wilcox, Arizona Public Service, Martin Larietta, Black & Veatch, Southern California Edison Company, Olin Corporation, McDonnell-Douglas, Foster Wheeler and Stearns-Rodgers. Since these activities have only recently been initiated and will not be completed until FY 1985 for the Final Design, and FY 1986 for the Subsystem/Component Testing, no additional funds are required for these activities. Further, DOE is supporting a great deal of research of a type which applies to the technology to be used in the repowering concept. Second Small Community Experiment Question: What is the current status of the Second Small Community Project? Answer: The Program Opportunity Notice (PON) for the Small Community Experiments at Osage City, Kansas, and Molakai, Hawaii, was released in December 1983. Proposal were due and received at the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office on February 29, 1984. A Source Evaluation Board at Albuquerque is presently evaluating the proposals. Parabolic Dish Question: How much is requested in FY 85 for parabolic dish research and technology development? Please provide a breakdown. Answer: In FY 1985, the Solar Thermal Technology budget request for parabolic dish research and technology is $9.38 million. These funds are for the following activities: dish electric module development $3.6 million, dish electric component and subsystem development $1.1 million, distributed receiver advanced concentrator R&D $2.28 million; Distributed Receiver Test Facility (DRTF) operation and maintenance $1.0 million, Small Community Experimental technical management support $0.4 million; and dish energy transport R&D $1.0 million. Barstow Central Receiver Question: What is the status of the 10 MW Central Central Receiver Project at Barstow, California? |