GC: n

CT: The conservation of energy is an essential step we can all take toward overcoming the mounting problems of the worldwide energy crisis and environmental degradation. Although developing countries and countries with economies in transition are very much interested in addressing the issues related to the inefficient power generation and energy usage in their countries, only a minimum amount of information on the rational use of energy is available to them. Therefore, distributing the available information on modern energy saving techniques and technologies to government and industrial managers, and to engineers and operators at the plant level in these countries is essential.

S: UNIDO – http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/import/userfiles/puffk/casting.pdf (last access: 9 December 2014)

N: 1. rational (adj): late 14c., “pertaining to reason;” mid-15c., “endowed with reason,” from Old French racionel and directly from Latin rationalis “of or belonging to reason, reasonable,” from ratio (genitive rationis) “reckoning, calculation, reason”.
use (n): c.1200, “act of employing,” from Anglo-French and Old French us “custom, practice, usage,” from Latin usus “use, custom, practice, employment, skill, habit,” from past participle stem of uti).
of (prep): Old English of, unstressed form of æf (prep., adv.) “away, away from,” from Proto-Germanic af.
energy (n): 1590s, “force of expression,” from Middle French énergie (16c.), from Late Latin energia, from Greek energeia “activity, action, operation,” from energos “active, working,” from en “at” + ergon “work, that which is wrought; business; action”. Used by Aristotle with a sense of “actuality, reality, existence” (opposed to “potential”) but this was misunderstood in Late Latin and afterward as “force of expression,” as the power which calls up realistic mental pictures. Broader meaning of “power” in English is first recorded 1660s. Scientific use is from 1807. Energy crisis first attested 1970.
2. Utilisation of energy by consumers in a manner best suited to the realization of economic objectives, taking into account social, political, financial, environmental, etc., constraints.

S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=rational&searchmode=none; http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=use&searchmode=none (last access: 9 December 2014); http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=energy&searchmode=none (last access: 9 December 2014). 2. GDT (last access: 9 December 2014).

SYN:
S:

CR: energy, energy transition.