The commission shall carry out technical assessment studies on all forms of energy and energy-related problems, in order to influence federal research and development priorities and to be informed on future energy options and their impacts, including, in addition to those problems specified in Section 25601, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Advanced nuclear powerplant concepts, fusion, and fuel cells.

(b) Total energy concepts.

(c) New technology related to coastal and offshore siting of facilities.

(d) Expanded use of wastewater as cooling water and other advances in powerplant cooling.

(e) Improved methods of power transmission to permit interstate and interregional transfer and exchange of bulk electric power.

(f) Measures to reduce wasteful and inefficient uses of energy.

(g) Shifts in transportation modes and changes in transportation technology in relation to implications for energy consumption.

(h) Methods of recycling, extraction, processing, fabricating, handling, or disposing of materials, especially materials which require large commitments of energy.

(i) Expanded recycling of materials and its effect on energy consumption.

(j) Implications of government subsidies and taxation and ratesetting policies.

(k) Utilization of waste heat.

(l) Use of hydrogen as an energy form.

(m) Use of agricultural products, municipal wastes, and organic refuse as an energy source.

Such assessments may also be conducted in order to determine which energy systems among competing technologies are most compatible with standards established pursuant to this division.

(Added by renumbering Section 25601 by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.)