ABSTRACT
How can human needs be satisfied and well-being improved while using fewer resources to provide energy services? This chapter draws on ideas from sustainability science, international development, energy economics, and engineering to evaluate energy services. Needs satisfied by energy services include nutrition, mobility, shelter, and thermal comfort. The provisioning systems that deliver these services require energy, material, and land resource inputs. An energy transition characterized by services-led transformation has three key requirements. First, service-provisioning systems must become dramatically more resource efficient to stay within planetary boundaries. Second, modern energy services must be universally accessible and affordable, making decent living standards available for all. Third, excessive consumption that compromises planetary boundaries while providing no gains for well-being must be curbed. Meeting these three requirements on resource efficiency, universal access, and sufficiency can help transform energy services to deliver on global sustainability goals.
