Open AccessBenefits and Costs of the USA Coal Research, Development, and Demonstration Program
Author(s) -
Roger H. Bezdek
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
european journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2736-5506
DOI - 10.24018/ejenergy.2021.1.2.12
Subject(s) - coal , cost–benefit analysis , research program , environmental science , business , agricultural economics , engineering , economics , waste management , political science , law , philosophy , epistemology
This paper estimates the costs, impacts, and benefits of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) coal RD&D program, 1976 - 2019. We provide detailed estimates by technology (in 2019 dollars) of the DOE coal RD&D budget and find that program funding priorities have changed substantially over this period. We estimate that the benefits of the DOE coal RD&D program through 2019 - $236.7 billion (2019 dollars) - far exceed the costs -- $28.6 billion (2019 dollars). This implies a benefit-cost (B-C) ratio of greater than 8-to-1, which is impressive. The number of jobs created over the period 2000 – 2019 - 1.6 million - is large, and the local job impacts are especially relevant at present. Recommendations for further research are provided and include the proper methodology for evaluating RD&D programs and the necessity for comparing the results reported here with B-C estimates for other energy and related technologies.