ADV.\\< H) I MRl.1 IK IINOI. K 



937 



I'm not against it. But I really feci we tend to get into a state of mind with solar 

 energy at the current time which is solarmania. We look at it as almost a solution 

 to all of our energy problems. I know people write me like it is, and I don't know 

 where they get that idea. 



McCormack, although he supported large increases in the solar 

 budget, responded to Wydler: 



I chink the concerns the gentleman from New York is expressing are valid 

 concerns * * *. I agree. with the gentleman that we are in a perilous situation with a 

 sort of a solar religion that permeates some people in this country and some members 

 of the press and unfortunately some Members of Congress. They do believe that solar 



v will solve this Nation's energy problems in the foreseeable future. Even with 

 these aggressive programs that we have set out, however, 1 think it would be extremely 

 optimistic to project that we can produce 3 to 5 percent of this Nation's energy re" 

 quirements by the year 2000 (with solar energy). 



Gore immediately answered: 



1 would like to see it very much larger than it is, because I feel that the contri- 

 bution which can be made by solar energy is much larger than the feelings of the 

 chairman, whose views I certainly respect * * *. Some of us tried to get a lot more 

 money for solar research and development but the chairman and the staff held the 

 line on it. 

 Frey made a mild rejoinder: 



1 think more could be done in the solar area. We have had testimony year after 

 year to the effect that no administration has put the emphasis on it that it should 

 receive. I also disagree slightly with the gentleman from Washington, in that I think 

 with a little more emphasis we could have more results in the near-term. 



The debate over DOE emphasis in solar R. & D. was repeated in 

 many other areas, as Members attempted to instill a greater sense of 

 urgency into DOE's approach to energy R. & D. For example, Glick- 

 man in the 1978 hearings labeled the administration thinking on 

 biomass and alcohol fuels as "disastrously conservative." Blanchard 

 scored DOE for assigning such an inadequately small staff to 

 bioconversion. 



COMMITTEE INCREASES IN 1978 



When the committee took the DOE authorization bill to the floor 

 on July 14, 1978, as was customary there were a number of areas where 

 additional emphasis was placed beyond the administration requests: 



[Dollar amounts in millions] 



President's Committee Total committee 



Program operating expenses budget in 1978 increase bill, 1978 



Solar 



Geothcrmal 

 Conservation 



