Energy Efficiency Study a Microcosm of the Global Energy Crisis

A new study, the Meta-Review of Efficiency Potential Studies and Their Implications for the South, released by Georgia Tech outlines how energy efficiency measures, if implemented now, will curb the need for more coal-fired energy plants in the future. The Meta-Review advocates “an aggressive strategy” that has old, outdated and inefficient equipment and products being replaced by new energy efficient technology. To this end, the study acknowledges that this technology is becoming readily available, but a catalyst, in some form of incentives, is needed to get the private and commercial sectors on board.

What we like about this study is that it can serve as a microcosm for the rest of the world. Look – if we want to reduce the need to scramble for energy resources and production of that energy in the future, then all sectors should realize that energy efficiency has this vast potential. A potential that needs to be unlocked.

The key is to look at what commonly wastes energy. What are a few things that require energy to run or charge that everyone has? An air-conditioner? A cell phone? A laptop? Some people have multiple cell phones or laptops. In total, 500 Billion consumer electronic and semiconductor (products with computer chips) products are produced, sold and used each year. 500 BILLION!!! Most, if not all, are vampire products – meaning they consume energy while not in use or serving their primary function. Likewise, those products account for Hundreds of Billions of Dollars of wasted energy per year and trillions of unnecessary pounds of CO2 emissions.

Implementing a smart grid, mass-producing electric vehicles and ultimately discovering new eco-friendly raw energy sources are crucial to our planet’s long-term stability, but the low hanging fruit is energy efficiency in the most prolific and commonly used energy wasters – the chargers and energy supplies of those 500 Billion vampire products. Aggressive implementation now means discovering a new eco-friendly raw energy resource for the future. That new eco-friendly raw energy resource – energy efficiency.