Cars with better mileage, electric cars, urban transport. These and other energy efficient measures continually implore us to save a little to save the planet. Replace the huge car that seats six adults and burns gasoline inside eight huge cylinders. Instead plug in an electric car that only occasionally uses a couple small cylinders for an extra umph. The previous twenty years show marked progress in reducing energy consumption while maintaining practicalities.
So, we would think that by now we’d start seeing some effect from this increased efficiency. However, you wouldn’t think correctly. In Canada, since 1990 the annual activity effect (the demand) saw an increase of 2585 petajoules annual consumption. Since 1990, the energy efficiency effect resulted in a savings of 1049 petajoules. The overall annual energy change from 1990 to 2006 was 1461 petajoules. Certainly the increased efficiency helped but we’re still using 21% more energy than in 1990.
As our civilization demands more energy, we grow more capable. But, we also become more dependent upon energy. If efficiencies can’t resolve our rapacious energy demand, where will our future lie when energy supplies flounder?
