Utilization of energy: information requirements for policy
An understanding of the role of energy in economic and social development is essential to the development of energy policies. A comprehensive information base is needed to monitor progress in the conservation of energy and fuel substitution resulting from national policies and to serve as a basis for future policy actions. Unlike past energy policies, many new energy policies are designed to affect specific energy-utilization activities, such as automobile-fuel efficiency and building-insulation characteristics. In order to analyze the effects of such policies, aggregated historical data on past patterns of energy utilization must be further disaggregated. In addition, where entirely new energy technologies are anticipated, historical energy data must be supplemented with data on these new energy processes. This paper outlines an integrated approach involving the use of aggregated energy-economic data, as well as more detailed data at the activity level involving the characterization of specific energy utilization processes in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Such information goes beyond the traditional treatment of resource utilization and delivered fuels to incorporate the concepts of energy services delivered, and of the direct plus indirect energy content of goods and services that are consumed. The present situation is therefore one of transition from a period where analysis was governed by the availability of data to one where information must be developed to support the needs of policy analysis. The current information base is summarized and recommendations are made for the future development of an information base and analytical capability that will support energy-utilization policy analysis.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-02-0016
- OSTI ID:
- 5239446
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-23643; CONF-771226-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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290100 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Analysis & Modeling
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
293000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
DATA ACQUISITION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY POLICY
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION NEEDS
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SIMULATION
SOCIOLOGY
USES