SUCCESSFUL GOVERNMENT-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP - THE US DEPARTMENT-OF-ENERGY ROLE IN ADVANCING ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has played a critical role in the de velopment and dissemination of important energy-efficient technologies . Three of the most successful technologies-low-emissivity (low-E) win dows, electronic ballasts and high-efficiency supermarket refrigeratio n systems-are reviewed in detail herein. DOE initiated R&D projects an d worked in partnership with private companies to develop, refine, and demonstrate the technologies. Without DOEs financial and technical as sistance, companies would not have been likely to pursue what were the n perceived as high-risk, uncertain technologies. Combined, the techno logies provided US manufacturers with ca $3.5 billion in additional sa les revenues cumulatively throughout 1995, The primary energy savings from use of the technologies reached about 250 trillion Btus per year as of 1995, worth about $1.5 billion per year. Moreover, US consumers should realize net economic savings of around $10 billion over the lif etime of three technologies sold through 1995. (C) 1998 Published by E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.