Bleaders: Yes, there are contrarians out there that do not believe in energy efficiency, and there are, in this case, researchers who have come to the unfortunate conclusion that energy efficiency will not curb energy consumption, but we cannot as a nation or as a world let these types of rather paradoxical and radically simplistic studies move us away from conserving energy at all costs that are reasonable to sustain our world.

It is the conclusion of this study that exactly in the areas where energy efficiency has increased has energy consumption increased, even doubled. Well, that is because we have focused on the areas of greatest energy consumption. But what the study did not find or attempt to conclude is how much energy would have been consumed without these energy efficiency measures. This makes this, in my mind, a bit of a flawed analysis, or at least one worth questioning what the initial premise was.

In conclusion, I do not believe these types of reports are of benefit except to conclude that 'more can be done,' and at this piont, I would say, this writer could have put more of his effort into saving his own energy and the energy of his publisher.

Study: Energy efficiency leads to greater consumption

Filed from Houston 12/27/2007 11:08:48 PM GMT

USA: A new report released last month by CIBC World Markets, "The Efficiency Paradox," outlines how energy efficiency initiatives and regulations often end up increasing consumption. CIBC World Markets Chief Economist and Chief Strategist Jeff Rubin, author of the report, found an "efficiency paradox" in which consumers have been able to use the cost savings generated by more efficient products to invest in additional energy consuming products.

Rubin notes, "While seemingly perverse, improvements in energy efficiency result in more of the good being consumed - not less."