"The cheapest energy is the energy that you don't use."

glennmagusharvey

Are you sure?

Because:
* if we let "energy that you don't use" mean energy that you are charged for, but didn't use, then in terms of its relative effectiveness it's actually the most expensive energy.
** but if we're speaking of how much energy costs, then generally speaking it will cost the same per kilowatt-hour anyway except for some base amount possibly--in which case it's actually cheaper per kWh because average per-unit fixed costs decrease the more units you divide it by.
* if we let "energy that you don't use" mean energy that you could have used but decided not to due to your own energy conservation methods, then the cost of that energy usage is zero, but the actual amount of energy is also zero, which means that we're dividing zero by zero to see how much that energy costs.

Discuss.

GLORIOUSLeader

Isn't this metaphorical?

┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(`Д´）╯︵ ┻━┻

It's complete nonsense.

^ A metaphor for...what?

GLORIOUSLeader

I have no idea. I've never actually heard this before.

Nyktos

I've never heard it before either, but it seems obvious that what it means is that the best way to save money on energy is to use less energy.

┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(`Д´）╯︵ ┻━┻

That wouldn't be cheap energy though, it would just be buying less.

FrodoGoofballCoTV

I think the arguement is that the most expensive energy of all isn't energy you're charged for and don't use, it's the energy you end up using even though you didn't actually use it - like leaving the lights on when you go out.  You don't benefit from it (unless it kept your pipes from freezing or something), you get charged for it, and the power company has to provide it, meaning they may have to pollute to provide it, build a new power plant because the maximum power usage in the region went up this year, etc.

CommandoDude

Actually, the second concept is just as bad as the first. Since it is energy you could have used, but didn't, and therefor WASTED.

Deboss

Simple answer: it's related to energy efficiency costs and things like "a penny saved is a penny earned" and what not.