Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Our energy R and D program: can we affort it. Student essay

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7327120

Serious deficiencies in the R and D program of the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) are identified. Data supporting the appraisal are compiled from ERDA publications, the Congressional Record, publications of the Office of Technology Assessment, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and leading scientific journals and newspapers. Congressional action to rectify a fiscal imbalance favoring nuclear over non-nuclear power options is reviewed. Conceptual deficiencies are enumerated, principally ERDA's concentration on energy-producing technologies to the exclusion of R and D on the social implications of those technologies. Sociologic research of NSF is an unacceptable substitute because results will have little impact on ERDA, coming from outside the agency. Other deficiencies include concentration on increasing the supply of energy without equal concern for research to reduce demand, inadequate consideration of international cooperation on energy R and D, and lack of Department of Defense in-put to ERDA program planning. (Author) (GRA)

Research Organization:
Army War Coll., Carlisle Barracks, Pa. (USA)
OSTI ID:
7327120
Report Number(s):
AD-A-022360
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English