I'm not talking about war, although that is always a possibility when large groups are fighting over diminishing resources.

What I'm saying is that even if we in the West somehow solve 50% of our energy problems that the total energy problem of the whole world during that timeframe will only slow down in growth rate a little.

Basically, we have what 800 million people in developped countries and 5.3 billion in underdevelopped countries ?

Just putting a heating or airconditioning unit or lighting in the homes of 3 billion people will be enough to dwarf the any new energy production breakthrough the west can ever achieve.

What if they also want a TV set, an automobile, airtravel and all those plastic gizmo's we take for granted ?

Getting that stuff for only 800 million people already used the bulk of the easily accessible resources the planet held. What are the remaining 5.3 billion going to use.

Indeed, low grade and highly contaminated fuels at a consumption level that is ohh what 6 times as much as we in the West ever used !

That is is what is happening in China right now and it is a huge problem. Mostly because the bulk of the Chinese population has not gotten into the game yet.

That is what I means by the hordes. Their numbers are so great that even if they only demand full electric lighting on their homes comparable to what we have that that will already offset any energy gains we make in the west.

Wouter