The
recent acceleration in global energy efficiency gains risks slowing down if
governments do not maintain their focus on implementing new efficiency
policies, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency
(explore
the report).
Global
energy intensity - the energy used per unit of gross domestic product - fell by
1.8% in 2016, a sign the global economy generated more value from its energy,
according to the IEA's Energy Efficiency 2017 report. Improvement seen in 2016
confirms the strong progress seen since the start of the decade.
But this
progress masks some concerning policy trends. While efficiency codes and
standards grew to cover about 32% of global energy use in 2016, nearly all of
the increase in coverage came from existing policies and over two-thirds of
global energy use is still not covered. The IEA's Efficiency Policy Progress
Index also reveals that the strength of policies increased at their slowest
rate in recent years and rates of progress vary significantly across countries.
"There
was a noticeable slowdown in the implementation of new policies in 2016, and
this trend appears to be continuing in 2017," said Dr Fatih Birol, the
IEA's executive director. "Countries should focus on attacking the more
than 68% of global energy use that is not covered by efficiency codes or
standards. A key IEA mandate is to help countries pursue this very important
goal by sharing best practices and learning from each other."
The
report highlights potential areas for further policy action. For example, only
four countries regulate the efficiency of trucks, and space-cooling demand is
rising fastest in countries with the weakest air-conditioning efficiency
regulation.
Energy
Efficiency 2017 details why more efficiency action is needed, highlighting the
significant benefits to the global economy, energy system and environment.
Improvements in energy intensity have been the most significant factor in
keeping global greenhouse gas emissions flat over the last three years. The
success of decarbonisation efforts around the world hinges on integrating
energy efficiency policies, renewables and other tools into the energy system
through a harmonised policy approach.
The
world would have used 12% more energy in 2016 without the efficiency
improvements achieved since 2000, which is equivalent to adding another
European Union to the global energy market. And households across the world are
spending less on energy as a result of efficiency. German households, for instance,
spent USD 580 less per capita on their energy bills last year thanks to energy
efficiency policies.
Technology
innovation is also creating new opportunities for progress on energy
efficiency, such as integrated solutions where efficiency and renewable energy
work together to deliver clean energy outcomes at lowest cost.
The
number of connected devices in use by households worldwide is growing
substantially. These devices, which can be connected to networks and other
devices, provide new opportunities for energy savings through more accurate
control of how much energy is used.