Benefits of GRI R and D Products Placed in Commercial Use through Early 1991.

摘要

From GRI's inception in 1978 through early 1991, 170 GRI-sponsored research and development (R&D) products have been placed into commercial service. Twenty-four of these products were introduced between April 1990 and March 1991. Benefits have been quantified for 87 of the 170 items, and the calculated ratio of the benefits to gas customers to total GRI costs incurred through the end of 1990 is 4.9 to 1. The calculated internal rate of return to gas customers on their investment in GRI to date is 21.5 percent. When only the costs of completed, terminated, or deferred R&D are included, the benefit-to-cost ratio rises to 7.9 to 1, and the gas customer return on investment rises to 25 percent. The 4.9 to 1 benefit-to-cost ratio is greater than the ratio calculated in May 1990, primarily because of the quantification for the first time of the benefits of two groups of GRI information items: (1) items supporting the use of plastic pipe for gas distribution, and (2) items leading to a better understanding of mid-efficiency gas furnaces and their venting systems.