Concern Over Efforts To Put in Place a Permanent Facility for Solar Energy Research Institute

GAO reviewed Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to put in place a planned permanent facility for the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in Golden, Colorado.

GAO found that about $3 million has been spent over a 2-year period on designing the facility without the benefit of a clearly defined role for SERI in the national solar program or long-range requirements for the use of the SERI facility. DOE took needed actions to defer design work on the permanent facility pending its reassessment of the role and mission of SERI and a determination of the size and cost of the project. GAO agrees with this decision and believes that these actions should help ensure that DOE puts in place a facility which meets its needs. However, there are two matters which give GAO additional concern and which need immediate attention. First, the future design efforts may not take into consideration, to the extent practicable, the requirements for the use of the facility over its estimated life. Second, its associated support facilities, both of which are part of the total proposed permanent facility complex, should not proceed without adequate justification.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: No director on record Team: No team on record Phone: No phone on record