Fuel consumption patterns, price trends and prospects for Britain

Difficulties inhibiting inter-fuel substitutions will mean that oil will remain the pace setter for unit energy prices, at least until AD 2010. Because of our over-dependence on this depleting resource, the overall upward trend of unit prices for all fuels, as experienced during the previous decade, will continue, despite short-term falls. However, the price mechanism alone appears to be too blunt an instrument to ensure the rational use of energy.