The impact of gas research institute energy technology

The Gas Research Institute (GRI) is a not-for-profit management organization formed in the late 1970s to plan, manage, and finance research and development (R and D) for the US natural gas industry. Since 1979, GRI has funded nearly 500 applied research concepts, and numerous basic research contracts in gas supply, transport, distribution, and end use. By the middle of 1988, these efforts had resulted in some 62 products, processes, and techniques in commercial use (documented by actual sales to one or more customers) and 33 informational items documented as in use by industrial and commercial organizations. While many of these results are still in early stages of market penetration, the GRI program has already begun to have significant impacts on the nation's energy mix. This paper first considers the appropriate measures for assessing the impacts of technology. Impacts of completed R and D and future opportunities are both considered. Each energy use sector is examined with respect to current and projected energy use, impacts of completed GRI technologies, and opportunities for future impacts of technology. The impact of technology on gas supply and price are discussed, and the overall impacts of the GRI program are summarized. The paper concludes withmore » a discussion of a number of areas in which future technological change can be expected to have major, but as yet unforeseen, impacts on energy use.« less