15 3.1.1 Materials Sciences The objective of the Materials Science subprogram is increased understanding of all materials-related phenomena and properties that can contribute to meeting materials needs of present and future energy technologies. Current goals include developing new or substitute materials; tailoring materials to satisfy defined requirements; predicting materials problems and service life, and improving theoretical and experimental capability to analyze the fundamental structure of materials. The Materials Sciences programs provide the operating budget for several large user facilities at the national laboratories. In particular, the High Flux Beam Reactor (ORNL), the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (ANL), and the National Center for Electron Microscopy (LBL), receive full support from the Materials Sciences program. The National Synchrotron Light Source receives 60% of its operating funding from the Materials Sciences program; the remainder is provided by the Chemical Sciences program. 3.1.2 Chemical Sciences The objective of the Chemical Sciences subprogram is to expand the knowledge base in the chemical sciences in areas most likely to lead to new ideas and improved processes for developing and using domestic energy resources. Current emphasis on phenomena and processes at the atomic and molecular levels likely to be important to energy technologists stresses chemical kinetics and reactivity, photochemistry, separations sciences and catalysis, among other areas of activity. The Chemical Sciences program is the primary source of funds for operation of the Combustion Research Facility at Sandia-Livermore. The Chemical Sciences program also provides General Plant Project construction money as a landlord for four DOE laboratories: Argonne National Laboratory, Ames Laboratory, the Combustion Research Facility, and the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory. 3.1.3 Nuclear Sciences The Nuclear Sciences subprogram is comprised of five distinct areas of activity. They are measurement, compilation, and evaluation of nuclear data; improvement of knowledge of the chemical and physical properties of the actinide elements; production of isotopically enriched samples of the elements for research and other purposes; operation of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory; and establishment of a technological data base for evaluation of heavy ion accelerators for inertial fusion. The Nuclear Sciences subprogram supports operating expenses for several major facilities: the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator, the Argonne Fast Neutron Generator, the Oak Ridge High Flux Isotope Reactor, and the Electromagnetic Isotope Separation Facility (Calutrons) at Oak Ridge. All these are carried out in addition to the operation of the SSRL. 16 3.1.4 Applied Mathematical Sciences The Applied Mathematical Sciences subprogram consists of two parts: energy science advanced computation and supercomputing research. The energy science advanced computation subprogram will provide large scale scientific computing required by high energy and nuclear physics, basic energy sciences, and biological and environmental research. This scientific computing will be provided through network access to supercomputers. The supercomputing research subprogram supports research in mathematical and computer science that is critical to the use by many DOE programs of the newly emerging multiprocessor supercomputer systems and the long range development of future supercomputer systems. 3.1.5 Engineering Research and Geosciences The objectives of the Engineering Research activity are (1) to extend the body of knowledge underlying current engineering practice, and (2) to provide a broader base of knowledge and insight for solving future engineering problems in the energy technologies. Particular emphasis is on mechanical sciences, systems science and engineering analysis. The objective of the Geosciences activity is to develop a quantitative, predictive understanding of the energy related aspects of geological, geophysical and geochemical processes. DOE's continental scientific drilling activity has attracted substantial interest nationally and internationally (where major continental scientific drilling efforts are already underway). The portions dealing with thermal regimes are appropriate for support by the Department of Energy. 3.1.6 Advanced Energy Projects The objectives of Advanced Energy Projects are (1) to evaluate the feasibility of novel, energy related concepts that are at too early a stage of scientific definition to qualify for support by technology programs, and (2) to provide a mechanism to permit exploratory research on concepts that do not fit easily into the existing DOE program structure. This program fills an important previous gap in DOE programs and provides a significant means for stimulating applied innovation. 3.1.7 Biological Energy Research The objective of the Biological Energy Research subprogram is to develop new information about microbiological and plant sciences that supports DOE's effort to improve biomass production of fuels and chemicals and the transformation of organic and biological materials for energy conversion, storage and use. The key issues for the Basic Energy Sciences programs are as follows: 17 The energy-related research supported by BES is appropriately broad. However, the studies, undertaken by the National Academy of Sciences and other groups, have indicated many new opportunities for research in the chemical and materials sciences. In addition, other BES programs that have not yet received aggressive support have also been recommended as areas with real potential for energy applications, e.g. the geological sciences, engineering sciences and biological sciences. The growing role of BES for support of large facilities with widespread scientific opportunities will broaden BES' mission to include the support of fundamental under-standing in several areas of the physical and life sciences. Two issues to be resolved are: (a) the balance of support between its energy-related research mission and its necessary role in fundamental research, and (b) the need to establish priorities among disparate facilities serving different parts of the scientific community. Construction and operation of proposed major facilities poses a significant management and budgetary challenge to the BES program. In recent years, facilities operation has taken an increasing share of the BES budget at the expense of research support (see Table III). The proposed facilities could change this share considerably. Further, the accelerator-based facilities will compete with other fields for accelerator physicists and engineers necessary to design these machines. EVALUATION OF R&D STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES The current strategy for the Basic Energy Sciences programs involves five aspects. The Basic Energy Sciences programs are designed to: Seek the scientific and industrial Promote early applications of the results of basic research; Provide critical knowledge and data, and develop trained scientific talent through support of highly competent scientists in DOE mission areas; Provide for and support operation of unique specialized research facilities; and Maintain liaison with other DOE programs, federal agencies, and the scientific academic and industrial communities. To be effective in this strategy, the BES program must maintain a strong core program-this involves supporting, equipping and encouraging the scientists involved in current DOE activities as well as the training of new, younger scientists to expand the forefront of knowledge in areas likely to be important to future energy technologies. The program must balance the need for continuing direct support to scientists and support of 18 existing unique facilities now important to some researcher needs in the United States while at the same time providing for the need of new facilities and their operation. Finally, new programs must be developed in order to exploit new, emerging areas of science that have been identified as having great potential importance for energy technology. In general, the BES program currently configured within the Department of Energy recognizes and adheres to this strategy. Within the last seven to eight years they have created the Engineering and Geosciences programs, the Biological Energy programs, and the Applied Mathematical Sciences programs. The Advanced Energy Projects activity supports exploratory development of basic concepts where the link between basic research and technology development is still very primitive and requires the involvement of both basic researchers and engineers in developing a technology concept at its very earliest stages. The ability of the BES program as a whole to implement its strategy is only limited by the imagination and responsiveness of its own staff to the recommendations of the scientific and technical community. 3.4 GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE DOE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT The recommendations of the Research Panel for the Basic Energy Sciences programs fall into two major areas: (1) the character and balance of the research supported with the operating funds allotted to the program, and (2) the need for major facilities in the near and long term and the consequences for the research supported by the Basic Energy Sciences program. In both areas, these recommendations should be incorporated within a long-range strategic planning process undertaken by the entire Department. 3.4.1 Areas of Research In general, individual BES program managers have elicited the advice of the scientific community including industry. This should be continued. However, the program does need to obtain continuing advice and evaluation on the balance of the program as a whole that provides an integrated perspective across the disciplines. A Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee should be established to make recommendations to the Director, Office of Energy Research, with respect to scientific opportunities and priorities as well as future facilities within the framework of DOE's primary objectives. The Committee should have an active role in the planning process for the BES programs. The composition of the Committee should reflect the mix of performers in the BES programs-universities, industry, and national laboratories. As part of its activities, the Committee should review the exploratory research activities carried out by the energy technology development programs in order to help assure the relevance and coordination of BES programs with these programs. Coordination with Energy Technology Programs. The Supply Panel and the Demand Panel have made several specific recommendations for areas of basic research critical for the achievement of long-range goals in the energy technology development programs. In some instances, they have expressed a preference for these activities to be sponsored by the BES programs because its history of stable, long-term funding for basic research is 19 more supportive for the performers of the basic research in materials, chemistry, and geosciences. Such activities would be consistent with the recommendations of the Research Panel as discussed below. Materials Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Nuclear Sciences. These sub-programs were established by the Atomic Energy Commission to support the development of nuclear power reactors. Since that time, the emphasis of these programs has been shifted to include other energy technologies and resources. These programs should be subject to on-going review to ensure continuing relevance to the broad Departmental missions. These long-standing programs continue to sponsor research of great importance to virtually all areas of energy technology. As mentioned earlier, energy-related opportunities for research in materials and chemical sciences have been identified by the National Research Council Further, the Supply and Demand Panels have made recommendations for basic research in structural materials and coal structure and chemistry to be pursued in BES programs. These recommendations would require both expansion and extensions of the current research programs in these BES programs. In addition to the important role that improved structural materials can play in improving technologies for energy production and energy efficiency, advances in electronic materials and the performance of materials at surfaces and interfaces may also lead to new technologies for processes, diagnostic instrumentation, and control. In turn, these can lead to more effective and efficient individual energy technologies or new approaches to larger energy systems. Basic improvements and innovation in materials synthesis and processing may occur due to basic studies of phenomena such as nucleation, transport across interfaces, sintering kinetics, and the rheology of composite materials. Recently, the chemistry community has taken a close look at the basic research opportunities in the chemical sciences. This study finds that in proportion to its contribution to other sciences and to the economy, chemistry is the most underfunded of the natural sciences in the federal budget. Certainly the current fossil-based energy economy and most foreseeable environmental and efficiency improvements will rely on improved chemical processing of known fossil resources. Fundamental advances in combustion chemistry, catalysis, and biochemical processes can be the basis for these improved technologies. Thus, there is a very strong case for the BES program to expand activities in the chemical sciences. The Nuclear Sciences program operates unique facilities for isotope production of transuranium elements. In the future, the program will pursue recommended research using these isotopes at the frontiers of nuclear chemistry and also for the investigation of the production and properties of new superheavy elements. The program should continue to support the use of insertion devices at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, which is an important user facility for materials and chemical sciences in the VUV and x-ray regions of the spectra. The basic research supported by these programs provides central, long-range support for the Department's energy mission. Over the long term, the Research Panel recommends that these programs can justifiably be expanded on the basis of high priority for DOE's missions and the major role that federal support plays in basic research |