Energy conservation and the federal government: research, development, and management

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6341373

Energy conservation is in large part a response to higher market prices, but markets are not able to call forth all the energy conservation actions or R and D that are economically justified. Nor are higher energy prices the only (or always the most influential) motivating force for energy conservation actions. Many energy conservation projects satisfy the Department of Energy's criteria of long-term, high-risk, high-payoff, and generic for Federal funding. In applying these criteria, the Department must consider the unique characteristics of the sector involved. Data on private energy conservation R and D efforts are extremely hard to assemble, but it probably is no more than $1 billion per year and most probably half or less than that - not sufficient funding for many worthwhile projects. The following division of conservation technologies are considered: industry, buildings, automotive/truck, multi-sector, agriculture. For each of these sectors the Board recommends Federal support in several areas. Personnel shifts and losses, low and shifting funding levels, and lack of planning have had a disastrous effect on the Department of Energy's ability to conduct an effective energy conservation R and D program. The Federal Government should undertake R and D directed at reducing its own energy consumption. The Department of Energy should direct the non-defense R and D; the Department of Defense should direct military R and D from a separate high level office within Defense. The Federal Government has a poor record of energy management for its own use. Management should be shifted from the Department of Energy to the Office of Management and Budget, where data collection and incentive programs should be developed and monitored. Capital budgets for energy conservation should be separate line items in agency budgets.

• Research Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC. Energy Research Advisory Board
• OSTI ID: 6341373
• Report Number(s): DOE/S-0017; ON: DE83009063
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
291000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Conservation
AGRICULTURE
AUTOMOBILES
BUDGETS
BUILDINGS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
INDUSTRY
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PERSONNEL
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
STATE GOVERNMENT
TRUCKS
US DOD
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
VEHICLES