Energy Research at DOE Was It Worth It? Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy Research 1978 to 2000 (2001) / Chapter Skim
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5 Overall Findings and Recommendations
5 Overall Findings and Recommendations
Pages 62-70
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From page 62... ...
The committee believes that the structure of many of DOE' s RD&D programs in both fossil energy and energy efficiency is now much more conducive to program success, to industry cost sharing throughout all stages of the programs (i.e., inception to market readiness) , and to systematic development of technologies from conceptualization, bench- and pilot-scale testing, through demonstration and, in some cases, introduction into the commercial market than it was when the programs were launched, in the heat of the energy crises of the 1970s.
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From page 63... ...
The committee estimated that the realized economic benefits associated with the fossil energy programs that it reviewed amounted to nearly $11 billion (1999 dollars) over the same 22-year period, some of which is attributed to costs avoided by demonstrating that more stringent environmental regulation is unnecessary for waste management and by addressing airborne toxic emissions.
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From page 64... ...
Fossil energy programs such as enhanced oil recovery, Western gas sands, and seismic technology also have yielded significant knowledge benefits in the areas of reservoir characterization, seismic imaging, and algorithm development. In addition to this analysis of the individual classes of benefits embodied in the conceptual framework, the committee reached the following summary conclusions: · The largest (by an order of magnitude)
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From page 65... ...
The piecemeal and inconsistent evaluation methodologies currently employed by DOE also make more difficult the development of a portfolio approach for assessing the overall structure, budget allocations, and appropriateness of program objectives for both fossil energy and energy efficiency. The committee believes that the adoption of the comprehensive, consistent methodology employed in this report would aid policy makers in evaluating their R&D portfolios.
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From page 66... ...
The discussion of individual fossil energy and energy efficiency programs in preceding chapters shows that DOE programs are effective in very diverse ways, and better data on the nature of program results will aid policy makers in assessing the appropriateness of program structures. Recommendation.
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From page 67... ...
As noted previously, the evaluation framework recommended by the committee involves the retrospective analysis of program outcomes, and recently initiated programs may not yet have achieved the ultimate outcomes projected for them. It is therefore important to develop interim milestones and metrics that enable policy makers and program managers to assess intermediate progress toward the ultimate project or program objectives and to make any needed adjustments in program structure or budget in a timely fash67 ion.
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From page 68... ...
DOE should expand its reliance on independent, regular, external reviews of RD&D in energy efficiency and fossil energy program goals and structure, enlisting the participation of technical experts who are not otherwise involved as contractors or R&D performers in these programs. Finding 9.
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From page 69... ...
OVERALL FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS flexibility and sensitivity to the needs of the relevant industrial sectors over the past 15 years. The committee applauds this trend and urges that DOE policy makers continue to explore creative and adaptive solutions to the requirements of collaborative RD&D in very diverse industrial sectors.
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