The Energy Challenges Report:

New Science for a Secure and Sustainable Energy Future

This Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) report summarizes a 2008 study by the Subcommittee on Facing our Energy Challenges in a New Era of Science to: (1) assimilate the scientific research directions that emerged from the BES Basic Research Needs workshop reports into a comprehensive set of science themes, and (2) identify the new implementation strategies and tools required to accomplish the science.

PDF file of this report

The Photon Report:

Next-Generation Photon Sources for Grand Challenges in Science and Energy

This Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) report summarizes the results of an October 2008 Photon Workshop of the Subcommittee on Facing our Energy Challenges in a New Era of Science to identify connections between major new research opportunities and the capabilities of the next generation of light sources. Particular emphasis was on energy-related research.

PDF file of this report (9.4 MB)

The Grand Science Challenges Report:

Directing Matter and Energy: Five Challenges for Science and the Imagination

This Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) Grand Challenges report identifies the most important scientific questions and science-driven technical challenges facing BES and describes the importance of these challenges to advances in disciplinary science, to technology development, and to energy and other societal needs. The report originated from a January 25, 2005, request from the Office of Science and is the product of numerous BESAC and Grand Challenges Subcommittee meetings and conferences in 2006–2007.

PDF file of this report (28.9 MB)

The 10 Basic Research Needs Workshop Reports:

Basic Research Needs for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems

This report is based on a BES Workshop on Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, July 31–August 3, 2006, to identify new, emerging, and scientifically challenging areas in materials and chemical sciences that have the potential for significant impact on advanced nuclear energy systems.

PDF file of this report (27.9 MB)

Basic Research Needs for Materials under Extreme Environments

This report is based on a BES Workshop on Basic Research Needs for Materials under Extreme Environments, June 11-13, 2007, to evaluate the potential for developing revolutionary new materials that will meet demanding future energy requirements that expose materials to environmental extremes.

PDF file of this report (10.7 MB)

Mesoscale Challenges Reports:

From Quanta to the Continuum: Opportunities for Mesoscale Science

This Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) report summarizes the results of meetings and web interactions sponsored by the BESAC Mesoscale Science Subcommittee to identify the opportunities, the challenges, and the benefits of mastering mesoscale science.

PDF file of this report (8.1 MB)

Challenges at the Frontiers of Matter and Energy: Transformative Opportunities for Discovery Science

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science charged a panel of ranking experts with identifying key questions challenging our ability to control matter and energy,... While fully meeting these five Grand Challenges is still years down the road, significant advances have been made... In consideration of this changed landscape, the Office of Science charged the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) with assessing the progress that has been made on all five Grand Challenge fronts and identifying what new knowledge opportunities exist to advance energy science.

PDF file of this Report (19.4 MB)

Technology Challenges Reports:

Data and Communications in Basic Energy Sciences: Creating a Pathway for Scientific Discovery

This report is based on a joint Basic Energy Sciences (BES) facilities and Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) workshop held on October 24-25, 2011 to identify opportunities and needs for data analysis, ownership, storage, mining, provenance and data transfer at light sources, neutron sources, microscopy centers and other facilities.

PDF file of this Report (1.0 MB)

Report of the Basic Energy Sciences Workshop on Compact Light Sources

This report is based on a BES Workshop on Compact Light Sources, held May 11-12, 2010, to evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of compact light source approaches and compared their performance to the third generation storage rings and free-electron lasers.

PDF file of this report (2.8 MB)

Neutron and X-ray Detectors

This report is based on a BES Workshop to itemize research directions for neutron and x-ray detectors, held August 1–3, 2012, by characterizing the gaps between detector development and source advances and identifying opportunities to maximize the scientific impact for BES user facilities.

PDF file of this of report (7.9 MB)

X-ray Optics for BES Light Source Facilities

This report is based on a BES Workshop held March 27–29, 2013, to identify opportunities and needs for X-ray optics developments at the existing and future BES facilities by identifying gaps in current X-ray capabilities and what developments should have high priority to support current and future photon-based science.

PDF file of this Report (5.3 MB)

Basic Energy Sciences Reports

Basic Energy Sciences Reports