The vision of a 2000-watt society would mean reducing the energy demand per capita in industrial nations by two thirds within five decades. If one assumes that income and consumption will continue to grow by two thirds during this period, this would mean using energy five times more efficiently than is done by today’s technology.
- Ordering the harvesting services instead of owning the machinery saves energy
Is this technically and scientifically feasible? Could industrial nations still operate with 20% of today’s energy demand, but at the same levels of consumption, mobility and production? A detailed technical-scientific analysis by 10 Swiss scientists came to the conclusion that such a vision is indeed “technically feasible”.
> White book (PDF)
Project support::
ETH Zürich, ETH Lausanne, Paul Scherrer Institut PSI, EMPA, Novatlantis
Project management:
Eberhard Jochem, CEPE ETH Zürich, e.jochem(at)isi.fraunhofer.de
Source:
E. Jochem (Editor) et al. 2004: Steps towards a sustainable development. A White Book for R&D of Energy-Efficient-Technologies; CEPE/ETH Zurich and Novatlantis, Zurich
