America's Energy Future: Technology and Transformation-Summary Edition
The National Academy of Sciences' America's Energy Future study began in 2007. The security and sustainability of the nation's energy system have been perennial concerns since World War II. The concerns have focused on energy-supply, especially a growing dependence on imported petroleum, and the environmental impact of fossil fuel combustion--particularly direct effects of pollutant emissions on human health, greenhouse gasses and the carbon dioxide impact on climate change. The United States needs to lower its dependence on fragile supply chains for some energy sources, particularly petroleum at present and possibly natural gas in the future, to avoid the impacts of dependence on the nation's economy and national security. The nation must fundamentally transform the ways in which it produces, distributes, and consumes useful energy. The size and complexity of the U.S. energy system with its reach into all aspects of American life, necessitates a transformation of tremendous undertaking to protect the nation's energy transmission and distribution systems with fundamental changes both structural and behavioral among producers and consumers alike. The challenge is great and cannot be met overnight. A meaningful and timely transformation to a more sustainable and secure energy system will likely entail a generation or more of sustained efforts by both the public and private sectors. Additionally, it is clear that the country’s economic, security, and environmental goals as pertains to energy consumption and sustainability cannot be achieved without collective international action. U.S. prosperity and security is tied to global prosperity and security. U.S. environmental goals depend on environmental protection actions taken globally. The full realization of goals of the United States for transforming its energy sector requires effectively working with other nations, many facing similar challenges. The key to U.S. success in protecting, sustaining, and achieving energy efficiency and protection is cooperating with other countries on research and development, pilot projects, and commercial demonstrations.
- Research Organization:
- National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
- Contributing Organization:
- None.
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-07ER15923
- OSTI ID:
- 1088808
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/15923-1-Summary; ISBN10:0-309-14145-1; ISBN13:978-0-309-14145-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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