ABSTRACT
In the energy field there are many choices, conflicts, constraints and opportunities. While the author admits that net energy analysis has never claimed relevance to most of these issues, he asserts that the component to which it does address itself – the indirect inputs of energy to supply technologies – is relatively insignificant. It is within the noise level of near, let alone long term. judgements and uncertainty. Though analyses might have some value in checking the ‘net returns’ of very rapid and large technological shifts, eg insulation or nuclear programmes, to date they have not identified any significant effects when the whole energy system is taken into account. Finally, he concludes that the methods of net energy analysis contain several flaws which are not easily mended and which put a low confidence level on results. Net energy analysis is a red herring.
