Multiply this by a million customers and you effectively have the benefit of a new large nuclear generating plant without having to build it or pay to operate it. There is a political obstacle to be overcome because rate structures are commonly based on the rate of return on investment. The larger the investment, the larger the profits. Few utilities have rate structures that provide incentives for conservation. Energy efficiency can have a significant and beneficial impact on many specific industries, and also further our technological development.
Some examples follow.
Transportation ransportation accounts for 27 percent of our total energy consumption and two-thirds of our domestic and foreign oil supply. The federal government has taken steps to increase efficiency and decrease pollution from cars. It's not very popular, though, since the American public is hooked on big and fast- accelerating cars, and that habit is hard to break. Rapid transit systems should have caused a major reduction in gasoline consumption and air pollution, but they have been a great disappointment so far. The more multi-lane expressways we build, the more we are encouraged to use cars.