One specific material he is working on may be suitable as a replacement technology for photovoltaic cells, one that promises to be one-hundredth of the cost of existing solar cells, which can overcome whatever efficiency loss it represents.

FORBES: Intelligent Design Comes To Inorganic Matter

Each stage of converting and transmitting power results in a loss of efficiency, but with technological improvements these losses are being reduced.

ECONOMIST: Solar power from space

There is loss in efficiency--it now takes 34 worker-hours to make a dining room table, up from 25--but Green thinks that price is worth paying.

FORBES: Green Wood

Total could also take the mantle, but while ExxonMobile has a history of timely efficiency in its projects, the Kazhak government probably fears a loss of bargaining power by letting the biggest oil and gas company in the world take control of its gas field.

FORBES: Kazakhstan Not Doing Eni Good

"We're talking not only about a loss of jobs but, from my perspective, a negative impact to the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system, " he said.

CNN: FAA begins process to close 168 towers on April 1

Jamba (JMBA) announced that it lost nine cents per share during the fourth quarter of 2012, beating estimates by a penny, and ahead of the loss of 15 cents per share in the same period last year, mainly due to growing efficiency.

FORBES: Kroger, Jamba Announce Earnings

" In his popular essay, "In Praise of Idleness, " the 20th century philosopher, Bertrand Russell, lamented modern man's loss of his capacity for play, seeing it as having been erased by the "cult of efficiency.

CNN: Dancing into old age