Quote:
Originally Posted by aerohead
AeroStealth read Jevon's 1865, 'The Coal Question', and what the Chicago School of economics creatures do with it, mischaracterizes what he actually said ( convenient for present fossil-fuel lobbyists, climate deniers, and Americans who don't read.
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Perhaps people got Jevon wrong, but the phenomenon that increasing efficiency does not result in decreased consumption remains.
I was thinking about this more today. If technology only allowed internal combustion engines to utilize 1% of the energy, I wouldn't simply buy 25x more gasoline when I go on trips, I'd buy an EV (find better alternatives).
Since technology allows us to use about 25% of the energy content, it ends up being a good transportation solution, which is why ICE vehicles have dominated for the past century.
If technology improved efficiency to the point that we can convert 90% of the energy into useful work, then it would completely obliterate the EV market. Not only would I be driving enormous ICE vehicles, I'd go off-grid and power my house with a fossil fueled generator. I'd buy a smart phone that runs on gasoline. I'd have a gasoline toothbrush...
Improving efficiency is what drives demand for a thing, because it makes alternatives uncompetitive.
There is no possible way to reduce fossil fuel consumption by efficiency improvements. The only way to reduce fossil fuel consumption is to improve the efficiency (value) of alternatives.