Road transport relies heavily on gasoline and diesel, influenced by government policies that often favor diesel for its efficiency. However, diesel produces more pollution, and the tax revenues it generates complicate change. The debate now centers on speeding up the transition to electric transportation to combat greenhouse gas emissions while balancing historical preferences with environmental concerns.
Historic energy transitions, primarily driven by fossil fuels, significantly improved human well-being, measured through consumer surplus. In the UK, transitions from stagecoaches to railways to cars, and from candles to gaslight to electric lighting, substantially increased consumer surplus. However, these benefits diminish as societies reach high well-being levels.
The fuel efficiency of personal highway vehicles, particularly gasoline-powered cars and trucks in the United States, is a crucial factor in energy consumption. Vehicle weight significantly affects fuel efficiency due to basic physics principles like inertia and rolling resistance.
Access to personal mobility has played a crucial role in people’s life satisfaction, with personal vehicles revolutionizing daily life since the early 1900s. The number of global car registrations has dramatically increased over the years, reaching 1.1 billion in 2019. The energy historian Roger Fouquet explored the impact of personal transportation services in the United Kingdom from the 14th to the 20th century, revealing the economic, social, and environmental changes brought about by the expansion of personal travel.
The transition from traditional lighting methods to modern illumination in the United Kingdom has had significant social, economic, and environmental consequences. Historically, lighting services relied on candles made from animal fat, but the 19th century saw the introduction of new fuels such as town gas, kerosene, and eventually electricity.
Roger Fouquet’s research on the United Kingdom highlights the remarkable growth in energy consumption over centuries. Factors like fuel shifts, improved efficiency, and changing preferences drove the increases. However, efficiency gains led to the rebound effect, where saved energy was partly offset by increased consumption.
Weatherization offers energy and non-energy benefits to households. It involves insulating homes, installing energy-efficient systems, and reducing energy bills. Non-energy benefits include improved health outcomes, such as reduced thermal stress and asthma symptoms. However, challenges like deferred assistance, low coverage, and bias against renters limit the program’s impact.
Renew Boston Trust is a program launched by the City of Boston to improve energy efficiency in municipal buildings. By implementing energy conservation measures, such as lighting upgrades and weatherization, the program aims to reduce energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions