Commentary

The breakdown in correlation between energy-use and GDP reflects the nature of the economies of the respective countries. Some countries are clearly in the growing phase and relying heavily on industrialization. Others, like the United States, have been essentially in a deindustrialization mode characterized by a shift from a manufacturing to a services economy. Ireland’s remarkable economic transformation during the past 20 years was enabled by its efforts to develop infrastructure and education facilities, which enabled growth of its semiconductor industry. This industry has much lower energy intensity than, say, steel or concrete manufacturing. At any given time the world as a whole cannot count solely on the low energy intensity of the services industry; some- one must produce the steel, concrete, aluminum, glass, and other energy-inten- sive goods and thus supply the energy required for those operations. Thus, the need for ever increasing energy-efficient technology remains. –A Cubic Mile of Oil, page 239

Values and tradeoffs are the name of the game