through advancement of underlying structural and aerodynamic theory; the resolution of environmental uncertainty attendant to combustion of municipal wastes; research in biological health effects and risks associated with exposure to high-voltage electric and magnetic fields; and the feasibility of using magma energy as a geothermal energy source for power generation. The proposed fiscal year 1987 budget request for renewable energy programs totals $108 million. Mr. Chairman, I believe that this budget will contribute to increased energy supply diversity and energy efficiency and will serve to promote increased competition in the marketplace. This budget request maintains program goals and will allow us to address the items of highest priority in research and development in the field of renewable energy, thereby adding to the accomplishment of our national goal of fostering an adequate supply of energy at reasonable cost. This is a budget which I believe recognizes today's fiscal responsibilities, as well as tomorrow's anticipated needs and will build on the foundation of energy stability and security that we, working together with the Congress, have laid in the last 5 years. Mr. Chairman, we are pleased to have the advice we have received from the Congress and, in particular, this subcommittee, and we thank you for the opportunity to appear here today. Chairman HATFIELD. Thank you for your fine statement. [The statement follows:] STATEMENT OF DONNA R. FITZPATRICK Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today and discuss the FY 1987 budget request concerning the Department's Renewable Energy and Electric Energy Systems and Energy Storage programs. The budget for these programs is consistent with the goals and objectives of national energy policy and is fully responsive to the Administration and Congressional goals of deficit reduction. Our energy The Administration's overall energy goal is to foster an adequate supply of energy at reasonable cost. We can achieve that goal through the combination of energy stability, energy security, and energy strength. Energy stability has been achieved over the past five years. security is growing stronger day by day. Our objective for the immediate future is to build this Nation's energy strength, making full use of its vast natural resources and the daring and ingenuity of its citizens. Our approach includes supporting advances in energy conservation as well as possible energy supply sources of the future such as renewable energy. Deficit reduction is perhaps the preeminent domestic economic imperative today and the Department fully recognizes that fact. For this reason, we are doing all we can to concentrate increasingly scarce resources on those programs and projects that directly fulfill a responsibility of the Federal government and truly require Federal assistance. If we are to achieve our overriding goal of deficit reduction we cannot afford to continue to allocate scarce Federal resources to activities where the rationale for continued Federal involvement is weak and where State and local organizations or private industry can and should take over responsibilities presently borne by the Federal government. Also, we cannot permit programs or projects to continue with Federal support unless they meet a high priority national need. We have no choice under the current and necessarily strict fiscal regimen but to concentrate scarce resources where they show promise of bringing the greatest benefits. As we seek ways to gain the greatest benefit from our limited resources, we will investigate cooperative research and development ventures with private industry consortia. This approach to R&D funding has the potential to provide greater leverage of Federal funds and to assure that resources for applied R&D are focused on high priority areas where there is private commitment to follow through with promising technologies. It can also foster increased technology transfer by involving industry earlier in the R&D sequence. One of our early steps will be the publication of a general solicitation of industry interest in forming R&D ventures in the various conservation and renewable energy program areas. In order to contribute to the achievement of our goals, the FY 1987 RENEWABLE ENERGY OVERVIEW The availability of stable and secure sources of energy will continue to play an important role in sustaining a robust domestic economy. The Department's renewable energy programs reflect a continuing national commitment to diversify U.S. sources of energy supply in a manner that fosters free market choices. Renewable energy can be an important part of the nation's energy supply mix and renewable technologies are already making important contributions to national, regional, and local energy requirements. These contributions are possible since the family of renewable energy technologies spans a wide range of resource and technical options at varying stages of maturity. Some technology and resource combinations have been providing substantial energy for many years, others are just beginning to enter the supply system, and some remain in research phases. Renewable energy technical progress has been paralleled by an increasing level of confidence in and commitment to these technologies by the private sector. The renewable industry has made significant progress in recent years to its development into the diverse group of many small businesses and sizable divisions of large companies that we see today. There has also been progress with respect to the other institutions concerned with renewable energy supply and use. States have become increasingly involved with promoting renewable energy use, while universities, research institutes, and utilities are promoting awareness and conducting programs to further advance our knowledge of renewable energy potential. Within the current Federal budget limitations, it is the Department's objective and role to participate in the highest priority research to address the most critical technology base issues. The focus of such efforts will be on those technologies with the greatest long-term promise for contribution to the nation's energy supply mix. These efforts will emphasize precompetitive research critical to advancing technology while avoiding interference with the extraordinary capacity of industry to develop specific commercial products and services. The Department will continue to encourage private sector participation and leadership and will seek input from industry and other institutions in the selection of projects which have the greatest relevance and potential. SOLAR BUILDINGS Solar buildings technologies have continued to make inroads in housing and, to a lesser degree, in the commercial buildings sector. These technologies can presently supply up to 40% of the energy required to heat individual homes across the United States. There is increasing scientific evidence that such energy contributions could be doubled and extended to additional types of building requirements for energy supply by means of continued opportunity for technological innovations. The FY 1987 Solar Buildings Technology Program budget request of $4.7 million for operating expenses will provide industry with an essential technology base for developing the new materials, components, and technologies required to realize this potential. Working closely with industry and university laboratories, the Solar Buildings Program is conducting long-term, cross-cutting research which the diverse sectors of the industry cannot support. The goal of these research activities is to increase the energy contribution of solar technologies to the point where 70% to 80% of space heating, hot water, cooling, and lighting requirements of various types of buildings could be supplied at costs that are competitive with conventional fuels. The FY 1987 program in materials and components includes continued research on new optical and thermal switching films that control solar gain and thermal losses for windows and exterior building surfaces. Research on innovative collectors will increase their thermal efficiencies and reliability, decrease their cost, and expand the application of active solar technologies to cooling systems and other building energy requirements. New phase change materials incorporated in such conventional building materials as wallboards will make it possible to store and use thermal energy provided by solar energy in all parts of the building. Advanced thermal transport concepts will enable energy to be transferred from the point of collection at the building exterior to any interior location, thereby improving the energy performance of solar building systems. Systems research activities encompass both residential and non-residential building applications. Research on open cycle solar absorption and solar desiccant cooling technologies will be aimed at increasing their energy efficiencies, the key to achieving viable solar cooling applications. important element of the FY 1987 systems research program is the development An |