ABSTRACT
Energy research and development (R&D) policy in the United States is undergoing a number of important changes. These changes include a sizable increase in the total expenditures on energy R&D, a significant jump in the proportion of energy R&D funded by the government, and a greater centralization of decision making with regard to government funding of energy R&D. The reorganization of government agencies concerned with energy, proposed by the President, would consolidate the responsibility for the country's energy R&D policy in the Energy Research and Development Administration. Although the President has not proposed changing the traditional method of financing government funding of energy R&D from the general budget, others have advocated special taxes on energy consumption. The likelihood that the proposed jump in energy R&D spending exceeds the optimum is further increased by two other biases in the political decision making process.
