How Do We Get There From Here?

As the editor of the volume I had the privilege to read – several times – and learn from the vast and diverse experiences and insights of the contributing authors. And the most important thing I learned is that, despite the disagreements among the authors on many points, the underlying optimism is that we have learned a lot and can do more on energy efficiency going forward. The opportunities are boundless; it is mostly a question of having the will and the means.

On a personal note, I am convinced that humanity has reached or will soon arrive at satiation levels on many things – certainly in mature economies. The same will eventually happen to developing economies as they evolve. Since so much of the projected growth in global energy demand is expected to come from the developing economies, the challenge is to find a shortcut to where they will eventually go but in a more efficient and sustainable way.

As described in an article in The Economist¹ on green growth, today’s mature economies grew first and focused on cleaning up later. This strategy, however, is unlikely to work for masses of humanity who have rightful aspirations to achieve the same high standards of life that people in rich countries take for granted. Future development in these countries must be green from the start – with efficient utilization of energy as its cornerstone.

Fereidoon P. Sioshansi

Menlo Energy Economics