Energy efficiency and energy poverty go hand in hand – just not perhaps how this author thinks…

In the key quote below, note the almost innocent, simplistic juxtaposition of “inefficient use of fossil fuels” and “efficient use of renewable energy”… So many assumptions, so little time. Amongst other things, I’m sure the billions currently in energy poverty would be more than happy to pursue efficient fossil fuel solutions, and are probably not all that keen to rely on wind and solar solutions when the sun ain’t shinin and the wind ain’t blowin, despite their so called ‘efficiency’… And what about energy density? Perhaps a little more light reading is required before making such sweeping statements linking the words ‘renewables’ and ‘efficient’. And interesting how the word nuclear does not even appear in the article…

As this site maintains, solving energy poverty ASAP is much more important than trying (so far very unsuccessfully) to engineer future climate scenarios according to some random set of humanity-level preferences decided by some random group of scientists and politicians… Solving energy poverty helps actual people, today, and leaves the almost entirely unpredictable future to, well, future generations.

Still, on the whole this is a good piece and well worth the read given the important information on energy poverty in Europe and key factors to be addressed. Just need a ‘cognitive dissonance’ filter or two while reading, IMO…

KEY QUOTE:

“Regarding energy transition, political decision-makers have a set of comprehensive political tools to move from a system based on the inefficient use of fossil fuels to a system based on the efficient use of renewable energy. The cost of this transition depends on the approach favoured by government policy: decision-makers can decide to increase fuel taxes or invest primarily in the renovation of buildings and public transport. The 2013 protests in Bulgaria highlighted political decision-makers who should bear in mind that a small increase in energy prices can have a major impact on the daily lives of millions of households already in financial difficulties. Therefore, a socially just transition based on measures aimed at improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable families is imperative.”

SOURCE:

Energy Poverty: A Time Bomb Waiting to Be Defused – Energy Industry Review