Alternative Energy Technologies Hearing
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
S. HRG. 109–1120 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 14, 2006 Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 64–909 PDF WASHINGTON : 2011 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:42 Mar 07, 2011 Jkt 064909 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 S:\GPO\DOCS\64909.TXT SCOM1 PsN: JACKIE SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman CONRAD BURNS, Montana JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia TRENT LOTT, Mississippi JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine BARBARA BOXER, California GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon BILL NELSON, Florida JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada MARIA CANTWELL, Washington GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska JIM DEMINT, South Carolina MARK PRYOR, Arkansas DAVID VITTER, Louisiana LISA J. SUTHERLAND, Republican Staff Director CHRISTINE DRAGER KURTH, Republican Deputy Staff Director KENNETH R. NAHIGIAN, Republican Chief Counsel MARGARET L. CUMMISKY, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel SAMUEL E. WHITEHORN, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel LILA HARPER HELMS, Democratic Policy Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND COMPETITIVENESS JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada, Chairman TED STEVENS, Alaska JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Ranking CONRAD BURNS, Montana DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii TRENT LOTT, Mississippi JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire MARK PRYOR, Arkansas JIM DEMINT, South Carolina (II) VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:42 Mar 07, 2011 Jkt 064909 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 S:\GPO\DOCS\64909.TXT SCOM1 PsN: JACKIE C O N T E N T S Page Hearing held on June 14, 2006 ............................................................................... 1 Statement of Senator Dorgan ................................................................................. 2 Statement of Senator Ensign .................................................................................. 1 WITNESSES Corsell, Peter L., President/CEO, GridPoint Inc. .................................................. 34 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 37 Gotcher, Alan J., Ph.D., President/CEO, Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. ............. 4 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 6 Preli, Jr., Dr. Francis R., Vice President, Engineering, UTC Power ................... 20 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 21 Raudebaugh, Daniel J., Executive Director, Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) ....................................................................................... 42 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 44 Sridhar, Dr. K.R., Principal Co-Founder/CEO, Ion America ............................... 25 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 27 Taylor, Dr. George W., Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. ......................................................................................................................... 38 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 41 Werner, Thomas H., Chief Executive Officer, SunPower Corporation ................ 28 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 30 APPENDIX Response to written questions submitted by Hon. John Ensign to: Alan J. Gotcher, Ph.D. ..................................................................................... 79 Dr. Francis R. Preli, Jr. ................................................................................... 80 Dr. K.R. Sridhar ............................................................................................... 81 Dr. George W. Taylor ....................................................................................... 83 Thomas H. Werner ........................................................................................... 83 (III) VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:42 Mar 07, 2011 Jkt 064909 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 S:\GPO\DOCS\64909.TXT SCOM1 PsN: JACKIE VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:42 Mar 07, 2011 Jkt 064909 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 S:\GPO\DOCS\64909.TXT SCOM1 PsN: JACKIE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2006 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND COMPETITIVENESS, COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION, Washington, DC. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:03 a.m. in room SD–562, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. John Ensign, Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN ENSIGN, U.S. SENATOR FROM NEVADA Senator ENSIGN. Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing on alternative energy technologies. I would like to thank Chairman Stevens for allowing this subcommittee to address this important issue. In 2004, the United States consumed almost 21 million barrels of crude oil and refined products per day. Approximately 60 percent of this oil was imported from other countries. Today, approximately half of our oil imports come from OPEC nations, including Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Nigeria, and Iraq. Oil supply disruptions pose a threat to our economy and national security, and that threat is compounded by the United States reliance on foreign sources of oil. Over the past 2 years, world oil prices have increased substantially relative to historical levels, and American consumers have paid the price. Crude oil prices hovered between $15 and $25 per barrel for the mid-1980s until 2002. Recently, however, crude oil prices have exceeded $70 a barrel. As the U.S. Government determines how it should address the Nation’s expanding energy needs, an examina- tion of various alternative energy technologies is very important. Just yesterday, on the front page of the Wall Street Journal there was an article about China and its increase in energy needs. In Beijing, they have 1,000 new cars per day on their streets, lit- erally tens of millions of new cars over the next several years. And, at that rate, it was at least mentioned in the article that the world’s energy needs cannot be sustained with the increasing needs in China. As other nations consider alternative energy technologies, the United States should make sure that we remain the innovative leader in this sector. This hearing will highlight developments in lithium-ion battery technology, fuel cell technology, solar power, wave power, and intel- ligent energy management products. Several of these technologies can be used for multiple power purposes. For example, fuel cells (1) VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:42 Mar 07, 2011 Jkt 064909 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 S:\GPO\DOCS\64909.TXT SCOM1 PsN: JACKIE 2 can be used to power not only cell phones, PDAs, and other port- able products, but also cars and buildings. While these technologies are not the only alternative energy technologies being developed, they offer us promising examples of the progress that has already been made, and which can be made in the energy field in the future. Imagine the tremendous possi- bility of using easily rechargeable and environmentally safe lith- ium-ion batteries or fuel cells to power cars, buses, or other vehi- cles, in more efficient ways than we do with petroleum products today. As a Nevadan, I also appreciate first-hand the potential positive impact the solar power technologies can have in improving the way homes and businesses are powered. We get a lot of sun out in Ne- vada, and we hope that we will be able to utilize solar power tech- nologies in this fashion in the future. As I have said before in several subcommittee hearings, innova- tion is the key to future global competitiveness of the United States. Innovation in the field of alternative energy technologies is particularly important in ensuring our Nation’s future economic strength, environmental health, as well as national security. We are pleased to have one panel of witnesses here to testify on alternative energy technologies. Without objection, for any of the Senators that wish their state- ments to be made part of the record, that will be done. As far as the witnesses are concerned, please keep your testimonies to around 5 minutes. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, but if you could keep your testimonies to approximately 5 minutes, it would be wonderful for us, so we could have as much discussion back and forth as possible. But if you need a little extra time, feel free to take it. Senator Dorgan, would you like to make any opening statement? Senator DORGAN.