APPENDIX A-2
COMMITTEE CHARGE
The following charge was outlined in the committee's First Advisory Report:
The committee will develop a statement of the desirable analytical, modeling, and supporting database capabilities necessary to support the evaluation of U.S. energy policy options. The committee will examine the correspondence between the current and desirable capabilities and will recommend priorities for development of the NEMS. Special attention will be given to the regional and international context for U.S. energy policy development, and to the interaction between energy and environmental policy formulation and analysis.
The more specific objectives of the committee include:
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Recommend a process and priorities for on-going modifications to the existing EIA/DOE modeling capabilities to better serve the purposes of planning, forecasting and policy formulation as exemplified by the ongoing NES process, considering data needs, model enhancements and integration. However, detailed technical assessments will not be undertaken of specific models currently in use at DOE and EIA.
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Examine whether improved information, both new data series and focused case studies on how energy systems function, would be critical to achieving the recommended modifications and improvements.
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Discuss the appropriate role for models in the policy formulation process, the inherent limitations of models, and the specific practical limitations and tradeoffs of data collection and integration in developing more effective modeling capabilities.
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Examine broadly the capabilities of relevant public, academic, industrial, regional, state and international interests and make general recommendations of how the activities of these parties can complement and enhance the capabilities of the DOE and EIA.