MATERIALS DEVELOPMENTS FOR POWER PLANTS.

Several important things that affect the energy-related materials field have happened during the past five years. The energy R&D program has grown monumentally, has become more government-oriented, and has taken a dramatic change in direction. There has been a proliferation of proposals for alternate conversion systems and demands on these systems for less environmental impact and greater reliability. Further, it has become evident that most of the proposed energy system alternatives (solar energy, coal conversion, geothermal energy, fast breeder reactor) represent much higher technology than earlier public announcements had indicated. Commercial deployment of alternative systems in great numbers consequently will take much longer than many popular predictions showed. These developments broaden the scope of materials development for the years ahead, and increase the depth of R&D required. They also put a higher premium on further perfection of materials used in conventional fossil and nuclear plants.