Thanks for the wonderful article Michael. Perhaps you can help me with some thoughts about the confluence of population reduction and renewable energy.

If we are wise enough to follow the electrical conversion plan that you have outlined (electrify everything, everywhere, all at once) we will see huge gains in energy efficiency. Also, if we follow the likely demographics, the population is projected to decrease substantially over the next 100 years, perhaps to half of the current population. This will also free up massive amounts of material for recycling, requiring less mining (recycling steel, aluminum etc.). And, we will need to expend much less energy since we will need to build much less, since the population has been reduced (little need for more roads, or other infrastructure). So, is it really possible that there can truly be a transition to a smaller, more efficient technological society? You do not see a massive collapse as fossil fuels vanish?