Evaluation of proposed Federal assistance for financing commercialization of emerging energy technologies

Technical Report · Tue Aug 24 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5240723· OSTI ID:5240723

This report provides a framework and perspective for considering (1) energy actions that could contribute to solving energy problems in the next 10 to 25 years, and (2) the role of the Federal government in encouraging activity in each of the areas. Synthetic fuels production, while technically feasible with first-generation technologies, is not cost effective in that total cost of output is not price competitive with foreign oil. Nor does it look as attractive when compared to other technologies, which were examined, on an incremental-price basis. It is believed synthetic fuels technologies should receive a high priority for government R, D, and D designed to develop more advanced and efficient production technologies; but giving assistance to commercialization of synthetic fuels at the present time is questioned. On the basis of this review, in terms of dollars expended on a cost-effective basis, it is believed that certain conservation measures have by far the greatest potential benefits and should have the top priority for stimulative government actions. Among the supply-increasing technologies considered, several technologies were found to be cost effective either in total or in particular geographic areas. These technologies are hydrothermal energy, municipal-waste-combustion systems, solar hot water and space heating, and tertiary oil recovery. Because they are cost effective, these technologies would be the most efficient to implement in the near future in terms of dollars expended now and in the near future on supplies of energy. (MCW)

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, D.C. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5240723
• Report Number(s): EMD-76-10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020000 -- Petroleum
09 BIOMASS FUELS
090000 -- Biomass Fuels
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150100 -- Geothermal Energy-- Resources & Availability
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
APPLIANCES
COMMERCIALIZATION
COST
DECISION MAKING
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EVALUATION
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
FINANCING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS APPLIANCES
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
HEATERS
HEATING
IMPLEMENTATION
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
LIFE-CYCLE COST
MUNICIPAL WASTES
PETROLEUM
RECOMMENDATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR SPACE HEATING
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
SPACE HEATING
SYNTHETIC FUELS INDUSTRY
WASTES
WATER HEATERS