Research will progress and initial experiments will be completed on vertical axis machines, augmentation devices, alternate system configurations, and Bernoulli and other "vacuum" type systems. Preliminary evaluation of several additional innovative concepts will be undertaken.

The ERDA exploratory 100 KWe wind generator system previously designed and now under construction at the NASA Lewis Research Center will be used to evaluate components and subsystems such as composite rotor blades, low-cost hub and pitch-change mechanisms, field-modulated generators, and storage systems.

Development and construction of large-scale wind energy systems will be initiated for test in user environments. A detailed design will be developed for a 100 KWe wind system utilizing the experience gained at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The system will be designed for cost minimization rather than as a research tool, and will be developed to supply power directly to users requiring moderate capacity power production. Construction will commence in FY 1976 on three such systems to be installed in three different climatic areas. These systems will provide operating, performance, and economic data regarding wind systems operating in a user environment and supplementing other sources of power.

Detailed design will be completed and construction started on a 1 MWe-scale experimental system. This system will be used to supply electrical power to the grid of a utility system and is the type of system contemplated for use in supplying large-scale power from wind energy systems.

Wind surveys and site selection procedures started in FY 1975 will be completed in FY 1976. Preliminary studies, design, and component development of more advanced research efforts oriented to achieve more cost-effective second generation systems. Studies will examine the utilization and operational considerations of multi-unit wind energy systems for supplying large-scale blocks of power. Two key areas receiving early emphasis will be (1) interconnection and interfacing requirements of utility users with predominantly conventional energy sources, and (2) spatial distribution requirements and the effect of spatial wind

distribution on the smoothing of power output.

System analysis and studies involving agricultural applications will be continued. A small unregulated system, designed for water heating, will be fabricated and tested. Feasibility studies will be completed and used to design, fabricate, and test-switch control systems needed for the sale of farm-generated power to rural electric distributors. The operation of a 100 KWe system in this mode will be examined for future test systems.

Bioconversion to Fuels

The objective of the Bioconversion to Fuels subprogram is to establish the commercial practicability of producing significant economic quantities of plant biomass and converting this biomass and other products currently considered wastes into clean fuels and other useful forms of clean energy by the mid-1980s. Through this subprogram, solar energy can be converted to synthetic natural gas, oil and gasoline substitutes, and solid fuels as well as thermal energy and electricity.

The specific objectives of the program are: 1. to design, construct, test and evaluate pilot plants to convert urban organic wastes and agricultural wastes to methane gas;

2. to continue the development of a technology base for conversion of urban and agricultural wastes to clean fuels and other energy-intensive products;

3. to establish the technology base for large-scale fuel and energy-producing systems utilizing plant biomass material as a renewable energy

resource;

4. to improve technology for large-scale plant biomass conversion processes including utilization of waste organic matter such as urban solid wastes and agriculture residues as energy feedstocks;

5. to prove the technical feasibility of producing hydrogen by photosynthetic and biochemical methods; and

6. to provide the technology base for large-scale terrestrial and marine energy farming systems. The anaerobic fermentation process for obtaining methane gas from urban solid wastes will be a major thrust in FY 1976. This work will be concerned with, but not necessarily limited to,

determining the optimal combination of preparatory processing steps and the influence and relative importance of anaerobic reactor operating variables. In addition these experiments will provide the data and information necessary to verify projections concerning product gas quantities and values, process stability and process economics.

System studies of promising energy farming concepts will be initiated in FY 1976 supplementing studies begun in FY 1975. These studies will include such problems as:

1. identification and evaluation of alternative system configurations, including their economic and environmental feasibility;

2. identification of subsystem elements requiring further research and development;

3. identification and evaluation of environmental, resource, and institutional problems and constraints; and

4. definition of necessary system demonstrations. It is anticipated that these studies will be carried out by system analysis centers with appropriate technical support from industry, universities, and Government research laboratories.

A total systems study of major agricultural waste energy conversion opportunities will be initiated in FY 1976. This study will be similar in scope and effort to those dealing with energy farming concepts. System engineering studies of selected agricultural residue energy conversion opportunities begun in FY 1974 will be completed in early FY 1976. During FY 1976, the design of a system for the most promising cost-effective agricultural waste energy conversion concept will be initiated.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

The goal of the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion subprogram is to establish a technically and economically viable technology base leading to the demonstration and commercial implementation of large-scale floating power plants capable of converting ocean thermal energy into significant quantities of electrical energy.

The specific objectives of this subprogram are: 1. to establish design and evaluation criteria for components, subsystems and systems;

2. to perform system studies and analyses that will examine the technical and economic feasibility of various ocean thermal concepts

(small-scale systems will be designed and constructed to validate the results of these studies and analyses);

3. to resolve and ameliorate possible institutional barriers to technology utilization, including international and domestic legal problems, and to evaluate potential environmental and ecological impacts;

4. to explore energy conversion, storage, and delivery systems for exploitation of the derived energy; and 5. to design,

a

construct and operate demonstration plant to evaluate a preferred concept by the early 1980s.

Testing of first-generation components and subsystems will be initiated in FY 1976. These components and subsystems include heat exchangers of various designs (e.g., metallic, plastic, fluted tube), turbines, pumps, and deep water pipe designs. Experiments will be conducted on corrosion and the compatibility of materials; biofouling, hydrodynamic and structural design; and on anchoring, mooring, and dynamic positioning problems.

On the basis of system requirements that have been developed, several preliminary design alternatives for future system testing are being considered through independent evaluations by several contractors of candidate system alternatives. These studies were initiated in FY 1975 and will lead to the design of an optimum system for experimental development. A site will be selected for the experimental system, and monitoring of an environmental baseline for that site will be initiated.

Proposal Information

ERDA will solicit proposals for specific tasks. In addition, the submission of unsolicited proposals is encouraged. Proposers should follow the applicable Guide for Submission of Research Proposals published by ERDA in 1975. There are two such Guides, one for educational institutions and another for individuals and organizations other than educational institutions. Copies may be obtained by writing the Division of Procurement, Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington, D.C. 20545.

The Division of Solar Energy will consider proposals from any source. Contracts for proposed

research ог development projects may be recommended based principally upon evident and significant contribution to meeting program objectives. In particular, proposers are encouraged to forward a relatively brief (five to ten page) preliminary proposal in order to obtain an informal reaction from ERDA program managers prior to the submission of a formal proposal. All proposals, preliminary or formal, will be acknowledged, and proposers will be notified officially of the final decision in each case.