Those of us who are completely focused on LENR or new sources for alternative energy may have missed the big picture story. We have not been “following the buck” so to speak.
That is, when you look at the changes in the supply/demand of conventional energy since the beginning of the Industrial age, well… there was a steady increase for 100 years. This steady increased came to a peak in 2007. Since that time over a decade ago – the demand for Grid Power in the USA has been going DOWN - steadily but slowly DOWN, despite the economic boom and the significant increase in population (including undocumented). Not to mention the electric car. Tesla alone “should have” increased the demand for electrical power. This has not happened. Here is the story and a graph with an article focused on one supplier - which shows that net energy demand this year will be less than 11 years ago (in dollars) - despite the fact that grid energy prices have gone up. Prices for solar and wind have gone down but not the price paid per KWH by consumers. The grid suppliers on average are receiving about the same income today despite higher prices due to lower demand. It is that simple. Even the biggest electric suppliers have been caught off-guard since they have badly overestimate demand – which never materialized. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/2/27/17052488/electricity-demand-utilities This is freaking amazing when you think about the implications of the big picture - and if this trend (flat to slightly negative demand) were to continue - then the need for LENR would be minimal. Of course, no one thinks the trend will continue, but… the same experts did not think demand per person would ever have dropped like it has over the past decade+. Of course, some of this flattening of the demand curve (or actual lowering when considered as the more meaningful metric of GWH/GDP*) - can be explained by one simple observation(or two). Millions of consumers have been making their own power from solar. This does not show up on the books since the grid itself does not participate in the transaction (or participates minimally). In fact, it has been said that until recently, demand statistics did try to account for the total amount of off-grid power being made since it is not reported as such. Another big factor is electric lighting. The LED and the CFL have made an enormous contribution to lower energy use since lighting is the biggest component of electric power usage. The CFL has more than offset the arrival of the Tesla. *GigaWatt-hrs per dollar of Gross National Product is a meaningful ratio. Using this metric, energy demand is way off in 2018 compared to 10 years before…
