Energy-efficiency solutions: What commodity prices can`t deliver

Book · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:118637

Cavanagh, R ^[1]

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1. Natural Resources Defense Council, San Francisco, CA (United States)

Over the past two decades, the brightest feature of US energy policy has been largely successful efforts to accelerate the pace of energy-efficiency improvements. Fortunately, the process is nowhere near complete, as continued progress is essential for meeting compelling environmental and economic objectives, both at home and abroad. One now confronts a debate over how to achieve this progress in a nation--and a world--that seeks more competition in the production of all fuels, including those traditionally controlled by integrated monopolies. That debate typically is not over whether more competition is good for energy users and energy efficiency; rather, dispute centers on the terms on which competition should occur, and the criteria that will determine winners and losers. Also, meeting today`s US energy needs carries a half trillion dollar annual price tag: about $5,000 per household. Every one of those households stands to benefit from new energy-efficient technologies, which can get more work out of less energy at lower cost while reducing the vulnerability to fluctuations in fossil fuel prices. For developing countries, economic opportunities are even greater.

• OSTI ID: 118637
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
COMPETITION
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
MARKET
PRICES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS