plenished continuously by the Sun. The projected energy contribution of the four solar electric technologies could provide as much as 15 percent of the Nation's total electric capacity and 8 percent of the Nation's projected energy demand by the year 2020, based upon ERDA's estimates. These projections are shown in table I. If I may, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, I insert that table at this point for the record without further discussion—if we have questions, we can come back to it. Senator Ford. It shall be in the record. [The following was received for the record:] TABLE I.—ESTIMATES OF THE ENERGY AND FUELS TO BE SUPPLIED IN THE UNITED STATES BY SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS' [In units of thousands of megawatts; electrical gigawatts.]2 Dr. Teem. The fact that economic competitiveness for these technologies can be forecast, using the best available engineering projections, makes the solar electric applications program a high priority element in ERDA's overall development effort. These programs of the ERDA Office of Solar Electric Applications relate indirectly to the overall investigation of the SPS concept. For example, the photovoltaic program element is pertinent since the research, development and demonstration of low-cost solar photovoltaic conversion technologies conducted by this program could have application to the SPS concept in some forms. Close coordination of these ERDA programs with NASA is insured by frequent interagency reviews and by the direct involvement of NASA laboratories and field centers in these ERDA activities. In order to insure this coordination, the ERDA Office of Solar Electric Applications is working with the NASA Office of Energy Programs, as one example of our interfaces between the two agencies. Another example, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology is responsible for the low-cost silicon array project of the ERDA photovoltaic program and also for the microwave energy technology program of the NASA program on satellite power systems. Mr. Chairman, it is our understanding that in making its decisions for the fiscal year 1977 budget, the administration concluded that no direct funding for energy research and development should be included in the NASA budget because the basic responsibility for the development of energy technology for terrestrial applications rests with ERDA. Based on this premise it was determined that the NASA concept for a satellite power system should be considered among other
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