Likely Social Impacts of Proposed National-Level Policy Initiatives

Abstract

This report describes the results of an investigation of possible social effects of enacting nine proposed natiooal-level •policy initiatives to accelerate development and use of solar energy.• This study is part of the Technology Assessment of Solar Energy Systems (TASE) .project supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Technology Assessments Division, Assistant Secretary for Environment. The purpose of this study was to identify the general, salient social effects of enactment of natiooal-level policy initiatives to achieve the goal of 20% solar. energy use in the United States by the turn of the century. The objective of the TASE project is to determine the range of potential consequences to the total human environment from widespread use of solar energy technologies in achieving the national goal .We wish to thank those staff persons at the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) who gave generously of their time to review various drafts of the final report. Special thanks are in order for Ron Ritschard and Ken. Haven, Energy and Environment Division,