26 



Mr. Adams, we have heard higher projections than yours, of 

 ocean biomass potential, from private researchers, who have given 

 information to the committee. You have stated that the ocean 

 biomass could conceivably provide energy equivalent to the current 

 energy needs of the United States, which is roughly 78 quads a 

 year. 



At your current rate of activity, do you believe that this is likely 

 ever to develop? 



Mr. Adams. I think the chances of that, sir, are pretty small, of 

 achieving a level of 78 quads from aquatic biomass. Certainly, in 

 my lifetime. 



Mr. AuCoiN. And yet that is the potential you see? You have 

 indicated that that is the potential you see, for potential source of 

 energy, but at your current rate of activity, or level of activity, you 

 doubt seriously that that goal or objective could ever be reached? 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir, I certainly do. In fact, I think in my testi- 

 mony I indicate that a number up to one quad by the year 2000, 

 from aquatic sources of biomass is about what we think the re£il 

 listing potential to be. 



Mr. AuCoiN. Potential to be at your — given the existing levels of 

 commitment to this source of energy? 



Mr. Adams. Assuming reasonable successes with an R. & D. 

 program of the type that we are prosecuting, in trying to prosecute, 

 that would be based between ocean and terrestrial systems. 



Mr. AuCoiN. What do you mean by your statement that the long- 

 range potential might be equivalent to the current energy needs of 

 the United States? 



Mr. Adams. Well, I think it would be entirely feasible over the 

 long range to grow that much material in the ocean. 



Mr. AuCoiN. But if we move forward on a policy basis at a snail's 

 pace, obviously we are not going to get there. 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir, that is correct, or at a slower rate. The 

 numbers are staggering in that. 



Mr. AuCoiN. Is the rate that we are proceeding at right now, a 

 weakenss then in our energy position, or policy, as you see it? 



Mr. Adams. At the present time, I do not think so. I think that 

 in a couple of years, by 1982, or by 1983, when we determine the 

 results of the present efforts, that we are into on land and terres- 

 trial systems, that we will be in a much better position to move 

 forward with wisdom about it. 



The numbers are staggering, indicating, you know, numbers in 

 the range of all the way from 3,000 square miles per quad per year 

 to 90,000 square miles per quad per year. One number is even as 

 low as 900 square miles per quad per year. 



So when we have such wide degrees of uncertainty in the yields, 

 of the biomass, it is hardly practical to make an assessment, it 

 seems to me, about how much contribution aquatic biomass can 

 make to our energy future in this century. 



Mr. AuCoiN. Of course, the way to overcome that uncertainty, 

 and the way to make more informed decisions, is to accelerate our 

 efforts to find those answers. 



It would seem to me that what we have here is in pretty much of 

 a go slow approach, and that would be a weakness that I would see 

 in our energy posture at this point. 



