Energy efficiency and economic growth?

But aren’t those things mutually exclusive? 1

A hopeful Friday note: a significant downloadable report (PDF) from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. It was just brought to my attention, but it's from 2004. Its message bears repeating: energy efficiency/technologies have the potential to dramatically reduce energy use while supporting economic growth.

This European agency estimates that the E.U. could accommodate a 65 percent increase in energy services by 2050, yet simultaneously use two-thirds less energy than today. In the U.S., the estimate is that we could reduce energy demand to one-sixth of our use today through more efficient technologies.

Erik Hoffner is the coordinator of the Orion Grassroots Network. Based in Massachusetts, he is also a freelance photographer and a frequent contributor to Grist.

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  1. A Siegel Posted 6:07 am
    16 Mar 2007

    This is important ...

    and a message that I try to emphasize with people.

    All we need to do is look at all of Amory Lovins work with an open eye and realize that we could greatly strenghten our society while using a fraction of the energy we do today.

    And, some major companies get it.  For example, Dupont, according to Chad Holliway, Dupont's Chief Executive Officer

    in 1994, Dupont set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by the year 2000.  They achieved that goal on schedule.  Then Dupont set a goal to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 65 percent by 2010.  They made that goal as well.  In fact, they achieved a 72 percent reduction by 2004, six years ahead of schedule, and avoided costs of over $3 billion by holding Dupont's energy use six percent below 1990 levels.

    Yet, too many think that there is a trade-off between the economy and the environment. Willing to trade a dying planet for another 1/10th of percent of GDP growth.

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