Final answer:
No, higher efficiency ratios do not always mean higher utilization ratios because they measure different aspects of system performance. Efficiency measures output in relation to input, and is always less than one, while utilization measures how much of a system's capacity is used, which can be independent of efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Systems with higher efficiency ratios do not necessarily have higher utilization ratios than other systems. The efficiency ratio measures the ratio of useful output to input, which must always be less than one since according to the second law of thermodynamics, you cannot get more energy output than the energy put into a system. Utilization ratio, on the other hand, refers to how much of the system's capacity is being used, which can vary independently from its efficiency.
Efficiency is limited by theoretical limits and improvements tend to be gradual, often creeping at around 1% per year. This indicates that efficiency improvements alone cannot keep up with growth limits. Moreover, increasing the efficiency of a system does not necessarily lead to lower energy consumption overall due to the Jevons paradox which reveals that improving efficiency can sometimes lead to increased demand for that more efficient technology.
Similarly, it is essential to be cautious about the work done on the system versus work done by the system in calculations, since these terms define energy flow directions which are crucial for correctly calculating efficiency and utilization.