Energy, politics, and public policy

Book · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6755374

Rosenbaum, W A

Historical examples illustrating the political aspects of energy policymaking focus on conventional energy sources with a potential for near-term policy conflicts: nuclear energy, petroleum, natural gas, and coal. Synthetic fuels receive considerable attention because they represent the nation's most-expensive and -ambitious energy gamble of the 1980s. There is less mention of solar technologies because they have been far less important in current energy-policy debates when compared to other energy sources. The author discusses energy conservation as a policy because he believes such a strategy can make a significant contribution to meeting future US energy needs. The book seeks a balance in describing the interaction among policy issues, government institutions, policymakers, and energy technologies in the political process. Three issues receive special attention: acceptable trade-offs between energy production and environmental protection; proper distribution of the socio-economic costs and benefits derived from energy use; and appropriate roles of government and the private sector in future enegy management. 268 references, 3 figures, 10 tables.

• OSTI ID: 6755374
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
293000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
DECISION MAKING
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS