The Key To Fossil Fuel Profits? Waste As Much Energy As Possible. - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights the inherent inefficiency and wastefulness of fossil fuel energy use, particularly in transportation and industrial processes. It points out that typical gasoline-powered cars are only about 15% efficient, meaning the vast majority of the energy paid for is lost as heat rather than used to move the vehicle. This inefficiency is not a minor leak but a systemic issue embedded in the fossil fuel economy, which continuously wastes huge amounts of energy to sustain its profit-driven extraction and consumption cycle. The article critiques the fossil fuel industry's narrative that fossil fuels are indispensable for modern life and economic progress, emphasizing that much of the energy consumed is wasted rather than productively used. The piece draws on insights from economist Robert Ayres and energy analyst Lloyd Alter to argue that the economy fundamentally transforms energy into goods, services, and waste heat, with fossil fuel systems being particularly wasteful. It challenges the common belief that transitioning to renewable energy is impossible due to high energy demands, citing data from the Liverm