2002 Industry Studies: Energy
Abstract
Energy is vital to our economy and way of life. U.S. energy consumption exceeds domestic supplies, which is a major factor in our national security strategy. Our future need for energy imports will become even more acute as our economy grows and domestic resources decline. Present sources of energy raise concerns over global warming, air and water pollution, and the environmental impacts of resource extraction. The critical role of energy in U.S. society demands a comprehensive, integrated energy policy. Defining such a policy will be a difficult, contentious undertaking, because there are many tough issues where the opposing arguments are sound and strongly advocated. Some of these issues will be resolved by finding win-win solutions that please all parties, but more likely, the final form of our policy will reflect bargaining and compromise. Informed by our visits with energy experts in Houston and Australia, this paper overviews each of the major sectors of the energy industry: oil, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear power, and renewables. Five short essays discuss key energy challenges: developing a national energy policy, protecting the environment, promoting the research and development of new energy technology, securing our energy infrastructure, and determining a path for electric restructuring. In each area, policy recommendations are presented, as developed by the Energy Industry Study of the 2002 Class of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. These recommendations represent the culmination of months of study, candid discussions with leaders in government and industry, and on-site assessments of the industry, both domestically and abroad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA425465
Entities
People
- David Coker
- Joe Back
- Resendo Escalante-ilizaliturri
- Scott Clemons
- Thomas M. Brown
Organizations
- Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy