TRANSPORTATION ENERGY USE IN OECD COUNTRIES

It is evident that the world energy problem of the 1980's and 1990's--really a petroleum shortage--will be above all a crisis for the transportation sector. Most vulnerable are private motor cars, trucks and airlines. If extreme fuel shortages develop it is likely that private automobiles would be forced to cut back on usage most of all. This possibility is discussed in some detail hereafter. The plan of the paper is, first, to develop a consistent set of historical data on demand for transport services, by mode, for OECD countries. Next, we develop consistent estimates of energy consumption and energy intensity, again by mode, making use of the IEA's energy balances statistics. Third, we infer a set of relationships between energy prices and economic growth rates, demand for transportation services and energy-intensities. Fourth, using these derived relationships we project fuel use for transportation purposes to 1990. Finally, we discuss some of the apparent implications for future transportation usage and future oil prices, in light of the apparent inelasticity of oil supply noted above. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared for First IEA Conference on New Energy Conservation Technologies and Their Commercialization, Berlin, April 6-10, 1981.
• Corporate Authors:

  Carnegie Mellon University

  Department of Engineering and Public Policy
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15213

  Variflex Corporation

  2905 Davenport Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20008
• Authors:
  • Ayres, R U
  • Ayres, L W
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 60 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demand; Economic impacts; Economics; Elasticity (Mechanics); Energy resources; Forecasting; Fuel consumption; Fuels; Petroleum; Prices; Supply; Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis
• Old TRIS Terms: Fuel shortage
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Transportation (General); Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00342194
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 22 1981 12:00AM