Overview

Full Product Details

9780275930837

Table of Contents

Reviews

"?It has been generally recognized that the demand for liquid fuels (petroleum) will sooner or later outstrip the recoverable earthly resources. It is also well known that liquid fuels can be obtained from coal and that coal resources are more abundant than petroleum reserves. Hence it is obvious to try to obtain commercial quantities of liquid fuel from coal. Although billions of dollars have been spent in the US and elsewhere on this effort, success is lacking. Why? If we were about to embark upon such a development endeavor, we might attempt some formal prospective technology assessment' research to ascertain the prospects of success. If we wish to learn from apparent failures, such as that of coal liquefaction, we should try a retrospective technology assessment' (RTA). Such is the goal of this book. It summarizes the requirements and method of prospective and retrospective technology assessment and applies the latter to the US effort to directly liquify coal, examining economic, policy, and scientific-technological models. In the process, a great deal of technical, economic, and policy history is presented. An attempt is then made to draw conclusions that will have implications for public policy, particularly in the area of large-scale public technology.' The book ends with long appendixes detailing the questions directed to experts in the field, which were the data for the RTA, and with ample notes.?-Choice ""It has been generally recognized that the demand for liquid fuels (petroleum) will sooner or later outstrip the recoverable earthly resources. It is also well known that liquid fuels can be obtained from coal and that coal resources are more abundant than petroleum reserves. Hence it is obvious to try to obtain commercial quantities of liquid fuel from coal. Although billions of dollars have been spent in the US and elsewhere on this effort, success is lacking. Why? If we were about to embark upon such a development endeavor, we might attempt some formal prospective technology assessment' research to ascertain the prospects of success. If we wish to learn from apparent failures, such as that of coal liquefaction, we should try a retrospective technology assessment' (RTA). Such is the goal of this book. It summarizes the requirements and method of prospective and retrospective technology assessment and applies the latter to the US effort to directly liquify coal, examining economic, policy, and scientific-technological models. In the process, a great deal of technical, economic, and policy history is presented. An attempt is then made to draw conclusions that will have implications for public policy, particularly in the area of large-scale public technology.' The book ends with long appendixes detailing the questions directed to experts in the field, which were the data for the RTA, and with ample notes.""-Choice"

?It has been generally recognized that the demand for liquid fuels (petroleum) will sooner or later outstrip the recoverable earthly resources. It is also well known that liquid fuels can be obtained from coal and that coal resources are more abundant than petroleum reserves. Hence it is obvious to try to obtain commercial quantities of liquid fuel from coal. Although billions of dollars have been spent in the US and elsewhere on this effort, success is lacking. Why? If we were about to embark upon such a development endeavor, we might attempt some formal prospective technology assessment' research to ascertain the prospects of success. If we wish to learn from apparent failures, such as that of coal liquefaction, we should try a retrospective technology assessment' (RTA). Such is the goal of this book. It summarizes the requirements and method of prospective and retrospective technology assessment and applies the latter to the US effort to directly liquify coal, examining economic, policy, and scientific-technological models. In the process, a great deal of technical, economic, and policy history is presented. An attempt is then made to draw conclusions that will have implications for public policy, particularly in the area of large-scale public technology.' The book ends with long appendixes detailing the questions directed to experts in the field, which were the data for the RTA, and with ample notes.?-Choice

?It has been generally recognized that the demand for liquid fuels (petroleum) will sooner or later outstrip the recoverable earthly resources. It is also well known that liquid fuels can be obtained from coal and that coal resources are more abundant than petroleum reserves. Hence it is obvious to try to obtain commercial quantities of liquid fuel from coal. Although billions of dollars have been spent in the US and elsewhere on this effort, success is lacking. Why? If we were about to embark upon such a development endeavor, we might attempt some formal prospective technology assessment' research to ascertain the prospects of success. If we wish to learn from apparent failures, such as that of coal liquefaction, we should try a retrospective technology assessment' (RTA). Such is the goal of this book. It summarizes the requirements and method of prospective and retrospective technology assessment and applies the latter to the US effort to directly liquify coal, examining economic, policy, and scientific-technological models. In the process, a great deal of technical, economic, and policy history is presented. An attempt is then made to draw conclusions that will have implications for public policy, particularly in the area of large-scale public technology.' The book ends with long appendixes detailing the questions directed to experts in the field, which were the data for the RTA, and with ample notes.?-Choice ""It has been generally recognized that the demand for liquid fuels (petroleum) will sooner or later outstrip the recoverable earthly resources. It is also well known that liquid fuels can be obtained from coal and that coal resources are more abundant than petroleum reserves. Hence it is obvious to try to obtain commercial quantities of liquid fuel from coal. Although billions of dollars have been spent in the US and elsewhere on this effort, success is lacking. Why? If we were about to embark upon such a development endeavor, we might attempt some formal prospective technology assessment' research to ascertain the prospects of success. If we wish to learn from apparent failures, such as that of coal liquefaction, we should try a retrospective technology assessment' (RTA). Such is the goal of this book. It summarizes the requirements and method of prospective and retrospective technology assessment and applies the latter to the US effort to directly liquify coal, examining economic, policy, and scientific-technological models. In the process, a great deal of technical, economic, and policy history is presented. An attempt is then made to draw conclusions that will have implications for public policy, particularly in the area of large-scale public technology.' The book ends with long appendixes detailing the questions directed to experts in the field, which were the data for the RTA, and with ample notes.""-Choice

Author Information

MICHAEL CROW is Director of Science Policy and Research, Iowa State University. BARRY BOZEMAN is Director of the Technology and Information Policy Program, Syracuse University. WALTER MEYER is Director of the Institute for Energy Research, Syracuse University. RALPH SHANGRAW, JR., is Senior Research Fellow, Technology and Information Policy Program, Syracuse University

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available