Energy efficiency (EE) simply means using less energy to perform the same task – that is, eliminating energy waste. EE brings a variety of benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and lowering our costs on a household and economy-wide level.
EE covers wide-ranging topics related to energy savings, energy consumption, energy sufficiency, and energy transition in all sectors. Coverage includes energy efficiency policies at all levels of governance enabling social, organisational, and economic factors of sufficient and efficient behaviour and decisions; analysis and modelling of energy efficiency performance, measures, policies, outcomes, and impacts; energy management systems and energy services; the role of energy efficiency and demand-side management in energy planning, energy markets and risk assessment; local sustainable energy planning; energy behaviour; acceptability of policy, technology, and new energy systems; and emerging technologies and approaches to improve energy efficiency
Energy efficiency benefits:
- COST SAVINGS
At home, you can save money on energy bills by making energy-efficient and weatherization upgrades—such as adding insulation, using LED lighting, and installing a heat pump—that reduce your energy use and can improve comfort. - COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Energy-efficiency programs improve community resilience and address energy equity by bringing efficient, cost-effective technologies and infrastructure to underserved communities. - ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Reducing energy use is essential in the fight against climate change, because traditional power plants burn fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases and contribute to air pollution. - RESILIENCE AND RELIABILITY
Energy-efficiency improvements reduce the amount of electricity on the grid at one time, minimizing congestion and stress on the electric grid. Less load prevents power disruptions. - HEALTH BENEFITS
Reducing fossil fuel use results in cleaner air, water, and land, all of which directly affect human health—especially those in marginalised communities and people with conditions that are exacerbated by pollution.
