Comparative analysis of the 1976 ERDA plan and program
The Office of Technology Assessment, in its 1975 analysis of ERDA's initial plan and program, cited two major areas of weakness. The first was ERDA's pursuit of technological options, while neglecting consideration of the broader aspects of energy production, delivery, and use. In particular, OTA indicated that the realization of technologically established energy options may be prevented by nontechnical constraints such as transportation, resource, manpower, and capital availability; public acceptability; and institutional, jurisdictional, economic, and environmental compatibility. ERDA has made significant progress in this area as reflected in the updated Plan and Program (ERDA-76-1). ERDA has more aggressively interpreted its role in meeting the Nation's energy goals by expanding its efforts to deal with non-technological constraints. It is apparent that ERDA has begun to orient its Research, Development, and Demonstration program more toward solving energy problems rather than just creating technical options. The second deficiency was found in the emphasis of both the ERDA Plan and Program on options directed toward increased energy supply, relative to the programs in end-use demand reduction. Supply programs were over conservation programs by a ratio of 49:1. ERDA has now increased the role and priority of conservation to the same level as the highest priority supply options in meeting the Nation's near-term energy needs. In the year since ERDA's formation, domestic production of natural gas declined 6.9 percent and crude oil 4.5 percent. At the same time, petroleum imports accounted for 37 percent of the Nation's total petroleum consumption in 1975 and are now approaching 40 percent. Achieving energy independence by 1985 has become all but impossible.
- OSTI ID:
- 7153446
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290500* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
294000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Fossil Fuels
295000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Hydrogen & Synthetic Fuels
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
299000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation
BIOMASS
BUDGETS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY BALANCE
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NET ENERGY
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR ENERGY
PLANNING
POWER
POWER GENERATION
PUBLIC HEALTH
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOLAR ENERGY
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA