Efficient Use of Energy
When Thomas Edison set up
the world's first electric power station in New York in 1882, it was not
electricity he sold, but light. He provided the electricity and light bulbs,
and charged his customers for the service of illumination. This meant he
had a strong incentive to generate and distribute electricity as efficiently as
possible, and to install light bulbs that were as efficient and long-lasting as
possible.
Unfortunately, the early
Edison approach did not survive, and the regulatory regime under which most
utilities operate today simply rewards them for selling as much energy as
possible, irrespective of the efficiency with which it is used or the longevity
of the appliances using it. In a few countries, however, governments have
changed the way energy utilities are regulated by setting up mechanisms to
reward them for providing energy services rather than mere energy. In
this case, customers benefit by having lower overall costs, the utility makes
as much profit as before, and the environment benefits through reduced energy
wastage and the emission of fewer pollutants.
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