Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Source: GAO analysis of DOE data.
Note: Budget authority is in real terms, adjusted to fiscal year 2005 dollars to account for
inflation. Excludes DOE program management costs and indirect facilities costs of
DOE laboratories.
Figure 3. DOE's Budget Authority for Renewable, Fossil, and Nuclear R and D, Fiscal
Years 1978 through 2005.
DOE's renewable R and D program has focused on ethanol, wind, and solar
technologies, making steady incremental progress over the past 29 years in
reducing their costs. DOE's goal is for biofuels production in 2030 to replace 30
percent of current gasoline demand, or about 60 billion gallons per year. In 2005,
ethanol refiners produced 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol, primarily from corn, that
was used (1) as a substitute for methyl tertiary-butyl ether, known as MTBE,
which oil refineries have used to oxygenate gasoline and (2) to make E85, a blend
of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline for use in flex fuel vehicles. To
achieve its production goal, DOE is developing additional sources of cellulosic
biomass—such as agricultural residues, energy crops, and forest wastes—to
minimize adverse effects on food prices. In recent years, DOE's wind program
shifted from high-wind sites to low-wind and offshore sites. Low-wind sites are
far more plentiful than high-wind sites and are located closer to electricity load
centers, which can substantially reduce the cost of connecting to the electricity
transmission grid. Low-wind and offshore-wind energy must address design and
upfront capital costs to be competitive. DOE's solar R and D program focuses on
improving photovoltaic systems, heat and light production, and utility-size solar
