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Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: Our Atomic Dominoes are Falling [View all]GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)14. I'd favour more research on how to reverse energy demand growth in general.
Specifically I'd like to see research into mechanisms to reverse energy demand growth in such a way that it doesn't just move the energy consumption avoided in one country to other parts of the globe. I'm talking about research into mechanisms for reversing global industrial growth as it pertains to life-cycle energy consumption. That would make shutting down energy projects of all kinds, whether nuclear or fossil-fueled, possible in a way it is not right now.
Here are some thoughts on the significance of energy efficiency in a fuel-based economy:General energy efficiency improvements alone do not help to reduce aggregate, global fuel consumption as long as the overall growth in fuel-derived energy demand is not constrained. The situation right now is that national energy efficiency measures tend to spare fuel consumption, and that fuel is promptly made available for export to nations where demand is still growing. Squeeze the fuel balloon in here, and it simply bulges out there instead.
This problem applies to energy generated from transportable fuels, whether they are nuclear or fossil fuels. Renewables themselves don't have have this particular problem, since they are dependent on local ambient energy conversion rather than fuels. But building out renewable sources within the context of an existing fuel-dependent economy (which is what the world is doing right now) amounts to improving the efficiency of fuel-derived energy. And that immediately runs into the above problem.
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I'd favour more research on how to reverse energy demand growth in general.
GliderGuider
Feb 2013
#14