In comparing the degree of efficiency in energy production and the uses to which energy resources are allocated in Mexico with those in other countries, this book addresses three basic questions: What are the major reasons for differences in energy efficiency between industrial economies and a newly industrializing country like Mexico? To what extent is energy conservation possible in the Mexican economy? And what are the social and economic benefits of more efficient use and conservation of energy in comparison with their costs? Using the history and operations of two state-owned energy agencies, PEMEX and the Federal Electricity Comission, as case studies, the authors explore the patterns of energy use in all major sectors of the economy and discuss the prospects for energy-saving policies between the mid-1980s and the end of the century.