>> I say energy is indeed consumed for its own sake. More precisely
>> for the
>> sake of that false deity called GDP growth and its microeconomic
>> offspring,
>> consumerism.
>
>
> Which would not be for its own sake. But part of my argument is that
> we can get the same GDP with less energy.
>>
Why do we want the same GDP?
Gene Coyle
Excellent question. And the answer would be we don't want the same GDP. We want GDP *growth*. We would never settle for anything less than the maximum GDP and that means maximum energy consumption levels. Not maximum "standards of living".
If we can insulate our houses, we would build bigger houses and keep the heating bill the same. If we build better lightbulbs, we would burn them more. If we can do renewable energy, we would most certainly do it in addition to, not as a substitue for, fossil fuels. This is the essense of consumerism. The way we measure GDP it is not proportional to "quality of life" but to consumption levels.
Progress towards energy efficiency cannot be made without letting go of the GDP religion.
I think this is the key point that Gar does not address.
-raghu.
