The Fifth Fuel - How Energy Conservation and Comfort are Linked

Conservation is often referred to as the Fifth Fuel, behind other energy sources like: Coal, Hydro-carbons, Nuclear and renewable sources. Daniel Yergin in his book “The Quest” refers to The Fifth Fuel as the silent, inexpensive fuel source that has made significant improvements in our lives and has provided us with National Security through greater energy independence resulting from energy efficiency in the united states which has doubled from the 1970’s through 2011.

Energy Conservation is linked to Comfort through a concept embodied in the “Jevon’s Paradox”.  This concept states that technologies that improve conservation lead not to a reduction in fuel consumption but rather an increased consumption of energy for other purposes.  In other words, we save energy on one hand and the spend it on the other to create increased comfort in our homes and businesses.

My parents demonstrated the Jevon’s Paradox in 1969, when they remodeled my childhood home.  Part of the remodeling project resulted in the installation of insulation in an otherwise un-insulated home in suburban Philadelphia.  It also led to the installation of central air conditioning in the home, which replaced the large Box Fan we used to use to circulate air down the main hallway during the hot humid summer nights.  Energy Saved, and then spent to create greater comfort in our home.

A more modern-day application of The Fifth Fuel linked to greater comfort or convenience is the substitution of incandescent lighting for electrical consumption used to power the myriad of electrical devices in our home.  What teenager or adult today could survive without a recharge station for their phone/tablet/laptop?

Projects like those engineered and installed by Comfenergy are designed to tap into the Fifth Fuel and save energy so that it can be spent in other areas or dropped to the household’s bottom line in the form of financial savings (See my Blog on the economics of Insulation).  Amory Lovins, and energy conservation activist, refers to conservation projects as “Not a free lunch, but a lunch you are paid to eat”.  Call us today and we can help you connect to this Energy Source.