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The upwelling of nutrients, and the discharge of those nutrients 

 nearer the surface into the ocean, as well, on the other side of the 

 coin, the institutional factors involved with growing biomass in the 

 ocean bear some resemblance to the institutional considerations of 

 ocean thermal systems. 



There are also some tie-ins with other aspects of the ocean pro- 

 gram. In waves, for instance, just as it is quite possible to capture 

 wave energy and utilize that in the form of electricity, it might be 

 possible to utilize that electricity to lift water for supplying nutri- 

 ents to the growing biomass. 



However, there is also indication that it would be better to use 

 the electricity for some other purpose. But there are natural tie-ins 

 between the biomass program and our ocean thermal program. 



Mr. Studds. You are at the assistant secretary level. You have 

 ocean biomass responsibility, but you do not have ocean thermal 

 responsibility over there, do you? 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir; we do. 



Mr. Studds. You are also sitting on ocean thermal energy con- 

 version? 



Mr. Adams. Yes. 



Mr. Studds. I will resist further observations. 



Mr. Adams. We have seen rapid growth, in the past few years, in 

 our marine program, in fiscal 1976, from a half million dollars to 

 upwards of $2 million in 1979, and then to three and a half or so 

 million in 1980. 



The thrust in our program is primarily threefold. To identify 

 plants and their cultivation potential; to identify techniques for the 

 cultivation and conservation to fuels, and then to provide emphasis 

 on systems that are using algae at the present time. 



The macroalgae, consisting of giant kelp, for work in the oceans, 

 and the microalgae are plants such as water hyacinths, or other 

 immersed plants that use atmospheric carbon dioxide for nutrients 

 onshore, or in the ocean. 



Our focus is on algae at the present time because of such high 

 yields, and the ease of conversion of these particular kinds of 

 plants to liquids, and to gaseous fuels. 



I have a number of major efforts in the biomass area, with work 

 at Cal Tech, with Dr. North, and the giant kelp, an effort with GRI 

 and GE on the use of engineering modules to direct nutrients to 

 plants that are grown on a large scale, and a new effort in which 

 we are trying to get hydrocarbon oils, such as glycerols, directly 

 out of land-based systems. 



We have efforts with Woods Hole Institute on ocean and fresh 

 water algae, and their photosynthetic qualities, and we believe that 

 this is extremely important, this and other related work that is 

 being done on the basic research side of DOE, because one of the 

 main factors in increasing the yield of biomass is the photosynthet- 

 ic uptake, the conversion of the utilization of the sunshine to 

 produce organic material. 



We are doing extensive work on conversion of biomass, and our 

 work on biomass conversion that is not directly tied into aquatic 

 biomass would also be applicable. 



I would just like to summarize my prepared remarks this morn- 

 ing by saying that we believe oceans, plus marginal lands, could 



