OCR Text |
Show Over the past two decades, spending on pollution control by these industries has risen at a rate that cannot be sustained in the future without jeopardizing the survival and competitiveness of their operations in the United States. U. S. petroleum refineries, for example, face estimated expenditures of $37 billion between 1991 and 2000 to comply with existing and proposed regulations - an amount that exceeds their entire 1991 fixed-asset base. The Industries of the Future strategy is designed to stimulate the development and use of technologies that increase energy efficiency and lower the costs of environmental protection and regulatory compliance in these industries. Sustaining U. S. leadership in these seven industries is critically important to retaining the technological know-how and the knowledge-based jobs clustered around them. Should these capital-intensive industries become uncompetitive in the world economy, investment would inevitably migrate to more competitive regions and the nation would loose those technological capabilities and the high-paying jobs so important to economic health. CURRENT COMBUSTION ACTIVITIES Activities in orr are now transitioning from a technology-oriented program structure to an industry-focused structure. In practice, both structures now co-exist. Each continuing combustion project will eventually be oriented towards at least one of the seven vision industries. As was noted earlier, emissions reduction and energy efficiency are key goals of OIT's combustion activities. Indeed, responding to industry needs, emissions reduction has become a key "driver" for OIT combustion projects. Yet, in every case, efficiency is to be at least equal to or better than today's most efficient combustion systems. OIT combustion activities now underway are described below. 4 |