Decoupling Energy Efficiency from Energy Consumption

Abstract

In the United States, “energy conservation” was the message of choice for the energy policy community mobilized by the 1970s Energy Crisis. Today's energy policy community promotes energy efficiency as the rational strategy for energy savings, deliberately distinguishing efficiency from the perceived failures and negative images of conservation. However, increasing energy efficiency does not necessarily save energy or reduce carbon emissions. In fact, accompanying substantial increases in energy efficiency in the 1990s, per capita carbon emissions and energy consumption in the United States have also increased, which itself suggests that efficiency may be an inadequate metric for addressing the environmental mandates that the energy profession now faces. Moreover, efficiency definitions often favour higher consumption, for technical, psychological, and sociological reasons.