University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Resolving the impasse in American energy policy: The case for a transformational R&D strategy at the U.S. Department of Energy

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 23:19 authored by Benjamin SovacoolBenjamin Sovacool
From its inception in 1977, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been responsible for maintaining the nation's nuclear stockpile, leading the country in terms of basic research, setting national energy goals, and managing thousands of individual programs. Despite these gains, however, the DOE research and development (R&D) model does not appear to offer the nation an optimal strategy for assessing long-term energy challenges. American energy policy continues to face constraints related to three “I's”: inconsistency, incrementalism, and inadequacy. An overly rigid management structure and loss of mission within the DOE continues to plague its programs and create inconsistencies in terms of a national energy policy. Various layers of stove-piping within and between the DOE and national laboratories continue to fracture collaboration between institutions and engender only slow, incremental progress on energy problems. And funding for energy research and development continues to remain inadequate, compromising the country's ability to address energy challenges. To address these concerns, an R&D organization dedicated to transformative, creative research is proposed.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

ISSN

1364-0321

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

2

Volume

13

Page range

346-361

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-12-02

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC