[Terr_]

> The author seems to be (accidentally or intentionally) part of an ultra-heterodox economic school that believes that all economic value, across all times and places, comes from the consumption of energy.

Ultimately all life is based on exploiting energy gradients. Economic value without using more energy is ultimately an efficiency improvement, an investment of past energy which is proving beneficial.

[digi_owl]

On top of that you get Jevon's Paradox.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox

Basically that improvements in efficiency leads paradoxically to more usage, as new uses becomes feasible.