Something seems very wrong about a story of taking energy away from domestic use in order to sell it abroad, almost like it’s a moral story for children about what not to do.

Egypt has introduced new austerity measures…. The government wants to take the natural gas locals don’t use and sell it at higher prices. It’s a simple solution but experts doubt it can work.

There’s a little problem with that phrase “gas locals don’t use” if you dig into what really is going on.

A whole set of new austerity measures leaves streets, squares, shops and malls without lighting after 11 p.m. The maximum temperature for air conditioning in shopping malls and stores has also been limited to 25 degrees Celsius… customers will have to walk home in the dark, long after the street lights have been turned off.

People in Egypt typically are very active late at night when it’s cooler, so such an austerity plan cuts energy use during a peak economic period.

It sounds kind of like Egypt sells its fine watch to make enough money to buy a hair brush for its citizens who cut their hair to buy a chain for Egypt’s watch… or something like that.

And how is this story not also about someone in Egypt realizing if they cover the pyramids with solar panels they don’t need any gas or diesel?

Gas they don’t use should be more like gas they don’t need; as opposed to taking away gas they really need while they haven’t really started (unlike Norway, which runs clean and exports its gas) to switch to clean sources to power their actual economy.