17 



In certain areas, undoubtedly, there are advances beyond ours. 

 We understand that the U.S.S.R. is conducting work in the field, 

 but we have very little knowledge of their activities to date. 



Mr. Studds. That sounds hauntingly familiar. 



I assume that we are making an active effort to recover what we 

 knew 30 years ago? 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir; we are. 



Mr. Studds. We are not inventing the ocean biomass wheel, or 

 are we? 



Mr. Adams. I hope not. 



Mr. Studds. I hope not, too, but you are in charge of it. 



Mr. Adams. I can assure you that we are not, particularly when I 

 see such wide degrees of uncertainty in growth leagues and cost 

 and other factors like this. We believe that we are into a very 

 fruitful area for research. 



Mr. Studds. Very good. 



The committee's expert on the California giant kelp, Mr. 

 Pritchard. 



Mr. Pritchard. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for that dubious dis- 

 tinction. 



Just a question here concerning the timeframe. 



Unfortunately, I was tied up with another subject, and maybe 

 you discussed this. But can you tell a layman, if I have to explain 

 when I go home next week and I am talking about this, and 

 somebody says, well, what does this mean and when will biomass 

 conversion become a viable energy source? Is this something that I 

 am going to be able to utilize or are we talking about something for 

 our grandchildren? Where are we? Can you give me some time- 

 frames for development in here? 



I realize this is very vague and it has to be, but so that I can 

 have a better appreciation for the time necessary to bring this 

 technology along? 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir; unless we see breakthroughs, and after all, 

 it is one of the purposes of research, unless we see breakthroughs 

 that we can get our hands around reasonably soon, I personally do 

 not see major contributions from aquatic biomass in this century. 



In my prepared testimony, I indicated perhaps up to one quad, 

 and I believe that that is an outside kind of number. Significant 

 progress is going to be needed to be made in terms of yields and 

 costs, both on land and in the ocean in order for this to come about 

 sooner. 



Now, by the same token, we are conducting a program in a 

 manner that would not preclude those breakthroughs if they come. 

 In other words, we would be able to capitalize on it and move it 

 ahead quicker. 



Mr. Pritchard. Well, it is endless, the area of research in a field 

 like this because of the number of possibilities. It is almost endless 

 where you could apply this technology and what it could do. 



When we start talking about producing on land, of course, you 

 are talking about land that is not being used for something else or 

 this would have a higher calling. 



Now, I would think that if you are talking about land that will 

 produce the best, this is also the same land that is currently 



