A California Model for Energy Extension Services in the United States

Future U.S. energy policy must strike a balance between increasing resource supply and promoting conservation. One method for instilling the conservation ethic into American lifestyles is an Energy Extension Service. A model for such a service, based upon contributions from existing Agricultural Extension and University Extension models, is presented, and the role of University Extension is stressed. Some of the areas in which electrical engineers can make contributions are indicated. University Extension in California offers courses directed toward personal enrichment and, more importantly, toward continuing education and professional development for the state's scientific community. Such programs can readily be adapted to focus on energy-related problems. It is envisioned that the Energy Extension Service would not only help "solve" energy problems in terms of providing research information to representatives from business, industry, and government, but also in terms of providing easily understood "technical" information to individual citizens. Both the short and long-term societal effects of an Energy Extension Service are also discussed. While the emphasis in this paper is on facilities available in California, similar components exist in most other states, thus making the proposed California model transferable to other states.