A preliminary description is given of Project SAGE, the solar assisted gas energy (SAGE) water heating system currently being tested and evaluated in Southern California. A statement of the goals and objectives of the SAGE water heating program, a general description of the project in addition to system performance data, evaluations and economic analyses of the various pilot studies, and field test installations are presented.

The Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project (LSSA) was established to greatly reduce the price of solar arrays by the improvement of manufacturing technology, by adaptation of mass production techniques, and by helping achievement of user acceptance. The Project's approach includes the development of technology, its transfer by industry to commercial practice, the evaluation of the economics involved, and the stimulation of market growth. The activities and progress of the LSSA Project during its first year are described in this document which covers all Project activities, with primary emphasis on the technical plans and accomplishments. The development of manufacturing technology is now and will continue to be performed principally by industries and universities. To date, 24 contractors are working on new silicon-refinement processes, silicon-sheet-growth techniques, encapsulants, and automated-assembly studies. Nine more contractors have been selected to perform additional technology investigations and their contracts are being negotiated. Additional contracts will be issued in the future as promising ideas appear. (WDM)

This methodology calculates the electric energy busbar cost from a utility-owned solar electric system. This approach is applicable to both publicly- and privately-owned utilities. Busbar cost represents the minimum price per unit of energy consistent with producing system-resultant revenues equal to the sum of system-resultant costs. This equality is expressed in present value terms, where the discount rate used reflects the rate of return required on invested capital. Major input variables describe the output capabilities and capital cost of the energy system, the cash flows required for system operation and maintenance, and the financial structure and tax environment of the utility.

The potential for future widespread use of photovoltaic systems for the generation of electric power was the motivation for the establishment, in January 1975, of the Photovoltaic Conversion Program by ERDA's Division of Solar Energy. The Program's activities are planned to develop and to promote the use of photovoltaic systems to such an extent that the private sector will produce and utilize cost-competitive photovoltaic systems. As part of the ERDA Program, the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project (LSSA) was established in January 1975. The activities and progress of the LSSA Project during the months of October, November, and December 1976 are described. The Project objective is to develop the national capability to produce low-cost, long-life photovoltaic arrays at a rate greater than 500 megawatts per year and a price of less than $500 per kilowatt peak by 1986. The array performance goals include an efficiency greater than 10% and an operating lifetime in excess of 20 years. The approach is to reduce the cost of solar cell arrays by improving solar array manufacturing technology and by increasing solar array production capacity and quantity. Forty-seven contracts have been awarded to date, to industrial firms and university and independent laboratories for experimental …

From introduction: The objective of this survey is to develop a geochemical data base for use by the private sector to locate regions of anomalous uranium content. Prior to wide area coverage, several pilot studies are being undertaken to develop and evaluate sampling and analytical techniques. The first of these studies was conducted in the Walker River Basin.

From abstract: This report presents the theory and method of calculation used by MIX2, describes the input to the program, presents results of two test cases, and provides a program listing.

The Anza-Terwilliger area consists of about 96 square miles (24-9 square kilometers) in the upper parts of the Santa Margarita River and Coyote Creek drainage basins in Riverside County, Calif., about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. This report deals with geology, steady state and transient state of ground water, net depletion of ground water, surface-water flow, precipitation, chemistry of water, land and water use, and gravity data for the Anza-Terwilliger area. The data indicate that the rate of ground-water depletion ha's accelerated since 1950. Pumping depressions adjacent to the Cahuilla Indian Reservation have increased the hydraulic gradient and are.causing water beneath the reservation to flow toward these depressions. Total depletion of ground water since 1950 is about 14,000 acre-feet (17.3 cubic hectometers). Chemical analyses indicate that the ground water in local areas contains concentrations of nitrate above that recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency for human consumption.

From introduction: The primary objective of this study was to determine the net transport of zinc into the study area from urbanized perimeter, out of the study area across the northern boundary of the study area, and across the sediment-water interface within the study area, all within a limited time period. A secondary objective was to assemble as much data on other trace metals--their concentrations and chemical states in water, suspended solids, sediments and interstitial fluids--as possible within the time and funding constraints of the study in order to describe the existing trace metal conditions in the south bay. Thus the bulk of effort was directed toward evaluating the distribution and movements of zinc, but the data collected on the distribution and movements of zinc, but the data collected on the distribution of other metals is important and is reported here.