Khaled Al-Suleiman Okaz newspaper WITH the current rate of domestic energy consumption, some experts expect the Kingdom to become an oil-importing country in less than 20 years. The country's oil production will not be sufficient to meet the local demand and therefore it will not have any surplus to sell to the outside world. This is not just an imaginary apprehension but a reality proven by the current rates of both production and consumption. The rationalization of energy consumption is not an option but an obligation. We need to deal with the issue rationally and realistically. At present, the Kingdom consumes half of its oil output. The per capita consumption in the Kingdom is double compared to other parts of the world. This policy of thoughtless spending must stop immediately if we want to build our future on a solid and unshakeable foundation. How can we rein in energy consumption with more than nine million vehicles roaming our streets every day? Can we increase the petrol price? Increasing the price without realizing its negative impact on the citizen and his living standard will be more hazardous and damaging than the consequences of the high consumption. It will also be unfair to increase the petrol price while we do not have an integrated public transport network that will provide the citizen with an alternative.
