---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 17:32:09 -0600 (CST)
From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Casselberry, Jay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Use of Metric Units by the Energy Information Administration
On Wed, 24 Jan 2001, Casselberry, Jay wrote:
>
> ... In many of our information products, we provide information that
> persons may utilize to convert data to metric units of measurement.
Jay,
The Public Law declaring *Preference for SI* means just that.
Numerical values in SI must be given *first priority* with values in
non-SI units, if any, in a secondary position (e.g. in parentheses).
Providing factors for conversion to metric units does not
comply with the intent of the Public Law; SI itself must be used.
> ... As a Federal information agency, EIA must offer products best suited
> to the overall needs of EIA's data users.
That means a deliberate transition to the one and only one SI Unit
of energy, the joule, and its multiples kJ, MJ, GJ, TJ, etc.
Btu, therm, gallon, cubic foot, kWh, quad, should be phased out.
> ... EIA has received very few requests from our customers for data
> expressed in metric units.
Lack of SI imposes confusion on school and college students
writing papers on energy; a babble of incoherent units; Btu, therm,
gallon, cubic foot, etc. Students are learning SI. Help them! Use SI.
> The law and executive order recognize that the use of metric units
> is dependent on economic feasibility, practicality, and efficiency.
Excellent reasons to move deliberately in favor of SI.
> EIA's current practice of providing conversion information for use by
> data users who prefer to work with energy information expressed in
> metric units is a reasonable solution.
Preferred *use* of SI is the intent of the Law. Providing
conversion factors is an evasion of the intent of the Law.
E. A. Mechtly, College of Engineering
University of Illinois at Urabana-Champaign (UIUC)
1406 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801
