National Science Board releases Building a Sustainable Energy Future report, calls for nationally coordinated research, development, demonstration, deployment, and education (RD3E) strategy

In Washington, the National Science Board released its draft report, Building a Sustainable Energy Future, and is seeking review and public comments through May 1.

The report is available online here with a home page on the report here. Comments are accepted via e-mail at NSBenergy@nsf.gov.

The blue-ribbon panel called on the US government to “develop, clearly define, and lead a nationally coordinated research, development, demonstration, deployment, and education (RD3E) strategy to transform the U.S. energy system to a sustainable energy economy that is far less carbon-intensive.”

Dan Arvizu, co-chairman of the NSB’s Task Force on Sustainable Energy as well as head of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) said that the measures recommended “can help to promote national security by increasing U.S. energy independence, ensure environmental stewardship by reducing energy and carbon intensity, and generate continued economic growth through innovation in energy technologies and increases in green jobs.”

The group called for the establishment of a Presidential Sustainable Energy Council to coordinate all federal activities in sustainable energy, boost R&D spending, develop stable policy, lead globally and bolster science and technology education.

The 25-member National Science Board is the policy-making body for the National Science Foundation and advises the President and Congress.

Key findings of the report include:

• The U.S. Government must adopt a forward-looking, long-term, coordinated strategy for achieving a stable, sustainable, and clean energy future.

• The level of Federal support for sustainable energy research and development (R&D) is inadequate to meet the scale and scope of the challenges for achieving sustainable energy solutions.

• The current energy economy does not adequately value or reward the attributes of sustainable energy solutions relative to those for the use of non-sustainable energy.

• The U.S. must substantially increase efforts in education and workforce development related to sustainable energy research and technology development and deployment.

• Limited international engagement and collaboration on sustainable energy solutions are inhibiting progress toward critical multilateral and bilateral actions.

• The U.S. Government should promote national public awareness of sustainable energy solutions, energy consumption, and energy efficiency.

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