National-Security implications of centralized energy sources. Public Briefing of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Seventh Congress, First Session, February 17, 1981

Book · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6259716

This briefing by Wilson Clark, project director of a study on energy, vulnerability, and war links vulnerability to US reliance on imported fuel and centralized energy-production systems. Dispersed, decentralized, and renewable energy sources in conjunction with national policies to strengthen and fund contingency and self-sufficiency plans can reduce this vulnerability. Criteria for ranking available energy technologies involve two matrices that judge strategic importance on the basis of availability, current and projected costs, and flexibility. The fuels matrix ranks 11 fuels and gives a high rating to ethanol, crude shale, low-Btu gas, and medium-Btu gas. The dispersed electricity matrix gives high ratings to cogeneration, small fossil plants, small hydro, some geothermal, and fossil gasification of the 14 systems considered. The report suggests the creation of Defense Energy Districts (DEDs). The hearing record includes a summary of the report and the testimony of Mr. Clark. (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 6259716
• Resource Relation: Related Information: Serial No. 97-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ENERGY SUPPLIES
VULNERABILITY
NATIONAL SECURITY
FUELS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
CIVIL DEFENSE
HEARINGS
ENERGY SOURCES
NATIONAL DEFENSE
SECURITY
293000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
990500 - Civilian Defense- (-1987)