2 ms·
>Are you theorizing we automatically burn every bit of fuel available to us? That's not how it works - people have a need for energy, they check the price of th
by kipchak 4y ago
>Are you theorizing we automatically burn every bit of fuel available to us? That's not how it works - people have a need for energy, they check the price of the energy and see if it's worth spending that much to accomplish their need.
Generally on a long timescale people seem to do additional things with additional/cheaper power, versus scaling back their use of previous fuel sources. Look at for example the relationship between biomass and coal, or oil and gas and coal.[1]
Middle class groups in groups in developing countries are increasing their burn rate, and increasing their per capita energy use as they do.[2] Eventually if everyone's needs are met and population remains steady we might reach the point where additional supply and a lower price doesn't cause additional usage.
[1]https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/global-energy-consumption-source https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/global-energy-consumption...
[2]https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/howmuchenergy/ https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/howmuchenergy/