Paths Point to Energy Conservation as the Fifth Fuel

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Written by Paul Wiseman for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Coal, oil and gas, nuclear and renewables--those are the fuel categories that receive the most air time today. Since the beginning of man, some combination of that mix has been required for cooking, heating, survival and comfort. It started with burning wood--which technically is renewable--then it moved to coal and possibly some early oil seeps. Nuclear, of course, is the new kid on the block, being less than 100 years old as a fuel.

Locating, producing and transporting those fuels creates huge costs, interrupts agriculture or human culture, all of them emitting something at some point in the process. Let's not even get started on the pollution and human problems with mining lithium, the crown jewel for renewable energy storage.

But there is one "fuel" that requires none of the above and emits none of the above.

Using less, also known as conservation.

Energy expert Daniel Yergin, in his 2011 book The Quest, called conservation "the fifth fuel," noting that using less of any energy means less is required. In the book he says, "We're twice as energy efficient today as we were in the 1970s. I think that's a reasonable goal--why don't we become twice as energy efficient again?"

Eleven years later, the world is indeed more energy efficient. For example, lighting and transportation are among the leaders in efficiency use and growth. The International Energy Agency reports exponential leaps in LED lighting sales since about the time of Yergin's book--from 5% of sales in 2013 to more than half in 2021--and a corresponding drop in CO2 emissions from lighting-based energy use during that time.

And while a 2021 report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the greatest fuel economy gains in vehicles came between 1975 and 1985, growth has continued, with 2021 being a record year in all categories for fuel economy.

On the Other Hand
Making energy cheaper makes it more widely used. That was the observation of English economist William Stanley Jevons in his 1865 book The Coal Question. Therein he noted that James Watts' improved design for coal-fired engines had greatly increased the demand for coal, as the industry widely adopted that engine. So, contrary to what seems intuitive, efficiency gains don't necessarily lead to reduced consumption.

That International Energy Agency report showing LED sales growth also reveals that energy consumption, as gauged by CO2 emissions, dropped only slightly from 2013-2020, then actually grew over the last couple of years. A Los Angeles Times story reports that dramatically increasing light pollution over the last 10 years is affecting migratory patterns of birds and other animals. This happens as people and businesses expand their lighting use due to its lower cost of operation.

It's similar for vehicular traffic. When travel costs drop due to greater fuel efficiency, travel becomes more affordable. In response, two things happen: People drive more and they buy bigger, less fuel-efficient vehicles. So actual energy consumption drops less than one might expect.

Of course, 2022 was an outlier. Usually when energy prices rise, as they have in 2022, travel drops off. But this year has been the exception, as cabin-fever-suffering populations took advantage of a COVID-restriction-free summer to release pent-up wanderlust. This increased fuel consumption in spite of higher prices.

A Third Option
Redesigning cities into more walkable communities relieves the need to worry about fuel economy. Oklahoma City is renowned for the day its then-mayor Mick Cornett saw a new light when seeing his town on a list of America's most obese cities. As one of the country's largest in terms of area, Cornett saw that Oklahoma City was laid out in a way that encouraged driving at the expense of walking.

He convinced the population to fund a huge development project adding sidewalks, biking trails and other options for leaving vehicles behind. Within a few years the city had collectively lost about a million pounds, and probably saved significant energy.

Other cities are looking into such changes. The Incremental Development Alliance hosts workshops in many cities and otherwise encourages developers to rethink designs, aimed at reducing vehicular travel and promoting walking or cycling to smaller retailers nearby.

As with most issues, conservation and efficiency are multilayered. This brings complications and costs, but opens doors of possibility.

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