Energy inefficiency

Snippets of dry verbiage that leave an interesting aftertaste...

 

Topic: Energy efficiency and consumption (taken directly from Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox

 

...attempts to reduce energy consumption by increasing energy efficiency would simply raise demand for energy in the economy as a whole.
...that improvements in energy efficiency work to increase, rather than decrease, energy consumption – the Khazzoom-Brookes Postulate

 

First, increased energy efficiency makes the use of energy relatively cheaper, thus encouraging increased use (the rebound effect).

Second, increased energy efficiency leads to increased economic growth, which pulls up energy use for the whole economy.

At the microeconomic level (looking at an individual market), even with the rebound effect, improvements in energy efficiency usually result in reduced energy consumption.[4] That is, the rebound effect is usually less than 100%. However, at the macroeconomic level, more efficient (and hence comparatively cheaper) energy use leads to faster economic growth, that in turn increases energy use throughout the economy. Taking into account both the microeconomic and the macroeconomic effects, technological progress that improves energy efficiency will tend to increase overall energy use.

 

~~  I can almost hear the evil laughter.