ABSTRACT
GROWTH IN ENERGY consumption is an essential concomitant of economic growth. The growth in energy consumption broadly reflects the rate of capital accumulation since capital accumulation in large measure consists of equipment designed to harness inanimate energy resources. Significant curtailment of the rate of growth of energy consumption cannot be accomplished, therefore, without curtailment of the rate of capital accumulation and of economic growth. This is not to say that improvements in the efficiency of energy use cannot or should not be sought to the fullest extent possible as a means of moderating the growth in energy consumption. However, these are likely to have only marginal effects on total energy requirements. One may debate whether economic growth itself is desirable, but such growth, to the extent it occurs, will require commensurate growth in energy consumption.
