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Critical post-1985 energy policy issues

Book ·
OSTI ID:7197861
The Dartmouth System Dynamics Group identifies a long-term transition energy strategy that focuses on complex interrelationships, response delays, nonlinearities, and the system's feedback loop structure. Short-term policy issues include: reducing demand growth, developing synthetic fuels from coal, deregulation of oil and gas, SO2 legislation, utility regulation reform, leasing Western coal lands, distributing coal conversion facilities nationally, and developing an adequate labor force for underground coal mining. Long-term policy issues include stabilizing energy demand, interrelating energy and gross national product, depletion of domestic oil and gas reserves, ethical implications of nuclear power, international politics, and Eastern vs. Western coal development. A causal diagram illustrates the impact of policies and indicates that too much attention is given to developing conventional oil and gas and in reducing delays in nuclear power plant licensing. Too little attention is paid to anticipating demand reductions and capital needs of the coal industry, maintaining a viable underground coal industry, long-term planning for electric utility growth, emissions from coal-fired power plants, planning for long-term shortages, and socio-economic impacts of new energy technologies. (DCK)
Research Organization:
Dartmouth College, Thayer School of Engineering, System Dynamics Group, Hanover, NH 03755
OSTI ID:
7197861
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English