U.S. Energy Research and Development Data
Nemet and Kammen, 2007

Updated 28 March 2006 by Gregory Nemet
Users of this data should cite the article:

Nemet, G. F. and D. M. Kammen (2007). "U.S. Energy Research and Development:
Declining Investment, Increasing Need, and the Feasibility of Expansion." Energy Policy 35(1): 746-755.

Digital Object Identifier: doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2005.12.012

Abstract 
Investment in energy research and development in the U.S. is declining despite calls for an enhancement of the nation's capacity for innovation to address environmental, geopolitical, and macroeconomic concerns. We examine investments in research and development in the energy sector, and observe broad-based declines in funding since the mid-1990s. The large reductions in investment by the private sector should be a particular area of concern for policy makers. Multiple measures of patenting activity reveal widespread declines in innovative activity that are correlated with research and development (R&D) investment—notably in the environmentally significant wind and solar areas. Trends in venture capital investment and fuel cell innovation are two promising cases that run counter to the overall trends in the sector. We draw on prior work on the optimal level of energy R&D to identify a range of values which would be adequate to address energy-related concerns. Comparing simple scenarios based on this range to past public R&D programs and industry investment data indicates that a five to ten-fold increase in energy R&D investment is both warranted and feasible.

Full Paper
Technical Appendix on calculating the level of optimal R&D.


Click these links to access the data tables below:
1. Total R&D
2. Energy R&D
3. Public-sector Energy R&D by technology
4. Private-sector Energy R&D by technology

1. Total United States R&D              [top]
(2002 $m)

  Total U.S. Federal Company
      and other
1975 95,042 52,780 42,262
1976 99,399 54,686 44,713
1977 102,805 56,100 46,706
1978 107,744 57,834 49,911
1979 113,047 59,569 53,478
1980 117,985 60,027 57,958
1981 123,218 61,621 61,597
1982 129,731 64,067 65,664
1983 139,083 68,808 70,274
1984 152,304 74,313 77,991
1985 165,743 81,601 84,141
1986 169,935 82,818 87,117
1987 173,347 86,032 87,314
1988 177,508 85,531 91,977
1989 180,707 82,811 97,896
1990 185,956 81,264 104,692
1991 189,301 77,332 111,969
1992 189,735 75,622 114,113
1993 185,658 73,351 112,307
1994 185,633 72,182 113,451
1995 196,811 73,166 123,644
1996 207,017 72,272 134,745
1997 217,918 72,216 145,702
1998 229,423 73,326 156,097
1999 242,870 72,974 169,896
2000 257,740 70,611 187,130
2001 268,571 75,974 192,597
2002 283,014 90,770 192,244
2003 n/a 100,062 n/a
2004 n/a 102,884 n/a

Sources:
National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resource Statistics, National Patterns of R&D Resources.
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nprdr/start.hrm

2. United States Energy R&D              [top]
(2002 $m)

  Total U.S. Federal Company
      and other
1974   2,509  
1975   4,117  
1976   4,706  
1977   6,868  
1978   7,831  
1979   7,968  
1980   7,591  
1981   6,742  
1982   5,456  
1983   4,480  
1984   4,322  
1985 7,993 3,866 4,127
1986 7,448 3,607 3,842
1987 6,838 3,142 3,695
1988 6,716 3,139 3,577
1989 6,961 3,428 3,533
1990 7,617 4,047 3,570
1991 7,539 3,844 3,694
1992 6,938 3,940 2,998
1993 5,830 3,316 2,514
1994 5,833 3,475 2,358
1995 5,371 3,355 2,016
1996 4,842 2,908 1,934
1997 4,153 2,638 1,515
1998 4,489 2,810 1,678
1999 4,635 3,111 1,524
2000 4,682 3,036 1,646
2001 5,011 3,401 1,609
2002 5,392 3,580 1,812
2003 4,506 3,425 1,081
2004   3,418  
2005   3,361  

Sources:
(1) M. Jefferson, et al., “Energy Technologies for the 21st Century” (World Energy Council, 2001).
(2) R. L. Meeks, “Federal R&D Funding by Budget Function: Fiscal Years 2003-05” NSF 05-303 (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
(3) R. M. Wolfe, “Research and Development in Industry” (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
3. Public-sector Energy R&D by technology              [top]
(2002 $m)

  Fossil Nuclear Renewable Other Non-DoE Total
1974 291 1,220 63 737 198 2,509
1975 942 1,685 299 713 477 4,117
1976 1,053 1,855 536 750 511 4,706
1977 1,493 2,670 1,276 820 609 6,868
1978 1,717 2,716 1,729 1,002 667 7,831
1979 1,538 2,500 2,120 1,190 619 7,968
1980 1,532 2,332 1,921 1,186 619 7,591
1981 1,252 2,205 1,660 988 637 6,742
1982 739 2,221 937 1,074 485 5,456
1983 533 1,868 712 961 405 4,480
1984 543 1,646 661 1,090 382 4,322
1985 549 1,268 549 1,169 332 3,866
1986 682 1,090 560 994 281 3,607
1987 445 957 482 975 283 3,142
1988 526 911 416 1,051 235 3,139
1989 771 896 404 1,117 241 3,428
1990 1,158 770 381 1,545 193 4,047
1991 955 709 482 1,557 141 3,844
1992 928 755 558 1,547 151 3,940
1993 401 722 613 1,343 237 3,316
1994 670 577 719 1,320 188 3,475
1995 423 655 770 1,342 165 3,355
1996 501 381 644 1,257 126 2,908
1997 320 382 627 1,245 64 2,638
1998 309 318 699 1,387 97 2,810
1999 323 327 763 1,608 91 3,111
2000 348 358 746 1,494 91 3,036
2001 412 339 800 1,766 85 3,401
2002 509 347 825 1,808 92 3,580
2003 476 313 779 1,761 97 3,425
2004 448 378 712 1,799 82 3,418
2005 380 375 693 1,833 81 3,361

Sources:
(1) M. Jefferson, et al., “Energy Technologies for the 21st Century” (World Energy Council, 2001).
(2) R. L. Meeks, “Federal R&D Funding by Budget Function: Fiscal Years 2003-05” NSF 05-303 (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
(3) R. M. Wolfe, “Research and Development in Industry” (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
4. Private-sector Energy R&D by technology              [top]
(2002 $m)

  Fossil Nuclear Renewable Other Total
1985 2,837 308 418 564 4,127
1986 2,649 198 405 590 3,842
1987 2,473 213 393 617 3,695
1988 2,309 242 381 645 3,577
1989 2,155 147 484 748 3,533
1990 2,338 176 308 748 3,570
1991 2,478 154 528 535 3,694
1992 1,957 191 498 352 2,998
1993 1,466 169 315 564 2,514
1994 1,290 161 301 607 2,358
1995 1,173 153 235 455 2,016
1996 1,143 146 205 439 1,934
1997 975 139 214 187 1,515
1998 1,143 42 222 271 1,678
1999 1,218 36 229 41 1,524
2000 1,297 31 236 82 1,646
2001 1,138 23 236 212 1,609
2002 1,123 21 291 377 1,812
2003 672 1 247 161 1,081

Sources:
(1) M. Jefferson, et al., “Energy Technologies for the 21st Century” (World Energy Council, 2001).
(2) R. L. Meeks, “Federal R&D Funding by Budget Function: Fiscal Years 2003-05” NSF 05-303 (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
(3) R. M. Wolfe, “Research and Development in Industry” (National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2004).
Updated 28 March 2006 by Gregory Nemet