USA – A recent article on the importance of energy efficiency mentioned that energy experts do not anticipate year 2004 to be much different in terms of energy wastage in the US. However, energy experts are hopeful that rise in energy prices will increase consumers’ interest in efficiency and energy efficient products. "I would expect a lot more consumer interest in ways to cut their bills," said Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a Washington-based clearinghouse. "There could also be more political interest." Political interest could lead to increases in the tax credits, rebate programs and other government subsidies that often play an important role in drawing business and consumer attention to energy-efficient products.

    The article discussed the challenges facing the spread of energy-efficient products. The main challenge is that consumers do not prefer the energy efficient products, since they are more expensive, even if the energy efficient products will last longer than the conventional, inefficient products. For example, in Wisconsin, where energy-efficient lighting products are subsidized, cheap incandescent bulbs outsell the newer technology by a four-to-one margin. The cost of fluorescent bulbs is typically 8 to 10 times that of incandescents. However, energy experts clarify that the initial expense would be offset over time by their much longer life and by lower electricity bills.

    The Energy Department estimates that if every American homeowner simply replaced the incandescent lighting in his five most frequently used fixtures with compact fluorescents, the nation would save 800 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity consumption - the equivalent of shutting down 21 power plants. Further, if most households used energy efficient lighting, utilities would emit one trillion fewer pounds of harmful gases that contribute to global warming.

    Energy advocates also mentioned that the newest designs of energy efficient products are not only improved in quality, but also the same size as the average incandescent bulb, and thus, can fit existing lighting fixtures.

    Another challenge in spreading usage of energy efficient products is that their manufacturers have fallen short of meeting potential demand, because of manufacturers’ cautious approach to expanding production, when they are not sure of the demand.

    The article thus maintained that the main restraint in widespread usage of energy efficient products lies with consumers. Most are reluctant to spend the money to replace inefficient equipment, like older air-conditioners or furnaces with new designs until the old equipment breaks down, even when told that the new unit will pay for itself in savings within a few years.