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Which way to go. Observations based on discussion on global perspectives and energy strategies

Abstract

One of the most controversial topics of the present time seems to be the world's future energy supply and demand. To establish a balanced view, the IIASA Energy Systems Program has sought periodically to compare its own work with that of other groups researching similar areas. At the beginning of 1977, Dennis Meadows, co-author of the Club-of-Rome study ''Limits to Growth'', and Amory Lovins of ''Friends of the Earth'' joined IIASA for a limited time. Both of them favor a ''soft technology'' path for the world's future energy system. Their stay at IIASA was an opportunity to check whether or not their results provide for a deeper understanding of a complex global future. This short note summarizes some conclusions that emerged from discussions of D. Meadows, A. Lovins, and members of the Energy Systems Program. In searching for the sources of opposing conclusions with respect to nuclear, large-scale solar, coal, renewable sources in a local or regional context (like wind, wave power, biomass utilization, and small-scale solar heat) and energy conservation measures such as better insulation or the co-generation of electricity and process heat, it turned out to be helpful to address the following questions: (1) Which long-term fundamental problems  More>>
Publication Date:
Sep 01, 1977
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
IIASA-PP-77-9
Reference Number:
ERA-03-024211; NTS-78-004819; EPA-04-002464; EDB-78-050554
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT; GLOBAL ASPECTS; TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; BIOMASS; ECONOMIC IMPACT; ENERGY CONSERVATION; ENERGY DEMAND; ENERGY SOURCES; ENERGY SUPPLIES; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; EVALUATION; NUCLEAR ENERGY; PUBLIC OPINION; SOCIAL IMPACT; SOLAR ENERGY; THERMAL INSULATION; WAVE POWER; WIND POWER; ENERGY; POWER; 292000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Supply, Demand & Forecasting; 299000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation; 530100 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Social & Economic Studies- (-1989); 530200 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Assessment of Energy Technologies- (-1989)
OSTI ID:
8169845
Research Organizations:
International Inst. for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg (Austria)
Country of Origin:
Austria
Language:
English
Availability:
Dep. NTIS (US Sales Only), PC A02/MF A01.
Submitting Site:
TIC
Size:
Pages: 11
Announcement Date:
Apr 01, 1978

Citation Formats

Sassin, W, Lovins, A, Meadows, D, and Penczynski, P. Which way to go. Observations based on discussion on global perspectives and energy strategies. Austria: N. p., 1977. Web.
Sassin, W, Lovins, A, Meadows, D, & Penczynski, P. Which way to go. Observations based on discussion on global perspectives and energy strategies. Austria.
Sassin, W, Lovins, A, Meadows, D, and Penczynski, P. 1977. "Which way to go. Observations based on discussion on global perspectives and energy strategies." Austria.
@misc{etde_8169845,
title = {Which way to go. Observations based on discussion on global perspectives and energy strategies}
author = {Sassin, W, Lovins, A, Meadows, D, and Penczynski, P}
abstractNote = {One of the most controversial topics of the present time seems to be the world's future energy supply and demand. To establish a balanced view, the IIASA Energy Systems Program has sought periodically to compare its own work with that of other groups researching similar areas. At the beginning of 1977, Dennis Meadows, co-author of the Club-of-Rome study ''Limits to Growth'', and Amory Lovins of ''Friends of the Earth'' joined IIASA for a limited time. Both of them favor a ''soft technology'' path for the world's future energy system. Their stay at IIASA was an opportunity to check whether or not their results provide for a deeper understanding of a complex global future. This short note summarizes some conclusions that emerged from discussions of D. Meadows, A. Lovins, and members of the Energy Systems Program. In searching for the sources of opposing conclusions with respect to nuclear, large-scale solar, coal, renewable sources in a local or regional context (like wind, wave power, biomass utilization, and small-scale solar heat) and energy conservation measures such as better insulation or the co-generation of electricity and process heat, it turned out to be helpful to address the following questions: (1) Which long-term fundamental problems other than energy questions have to be faced by mankind within the coming 50 years. (2) Is the appropriate scale for analyzing these problems global, regional, or local. (3) In which subsectors should the economy be disaggregated in order to tackle the problem of self-reliance and resilience. (4) How can one define a technological solution for the energy supply with respect to the anticipated state of affairs in terms of do's and not in terms of don'ts. (5) How can one specify an energy strategy leading from today's situation into a long-term future when the goals to be achieved vary with time and in principle are subject to revision. (MCW)}
place = {Austria}
year = {1977}
month = {Sep}
}