A breakthrough in the provision of energy from the sun for the European Economic Community (EEC) could be brought forward by up to two decades, if a modest increase could be provided in the EEC′s research effort in this field, according to the senior EEC scientists engaged in experiments in solar energy at EEC′s scientific laboratories at Ispra, near Milan.
The senior West German scientist in charge of the Community′s solar energy program, Mr. Joachim Gretz, told journalists that at present levels of research spending it was most unlikely that solar energy would provide as much as three per cent of the Community′s energy requirements even after the year 2000. But he said that with s modest increase in the present sums, devoted by the EEC to this work it was possible that the breakthrough could be achieved by the end of the next decade.
Mr. Gretz calculates that if solar energy only provided three per cent of the EEC′s needs, this could still produce a saving of about a billion pounds in the present bill for imported energy each year. and he believes that with the possibility of utilizing more advanced technology in this field it might be possible to satisfy a much bigger share of the Community′s future energy needs.
At present the EEC spends about $ 2. 6 millions a year on solar research at Ispra, one of the EEC′s official joint research centers, and another $ 3 millions a year in indirect research with universities and other independent bodies.
