Monitoring of the “Energiewende” – energy efficiency indicators for Germany

The increasing number of energy and climate targets both at national and international level induces a rising demand for regular monitoring. In this paper, we analyse the possibilities and limits of using energy efficiency indicators as a tool for monitoring these targets. We refer to the energy efficiency targets of the German “Energiewende” and calculate and discuss several energy efficiency indicators for Germany both at the level of the overall economy and the main energy consumption sectors. We make use of the energy efficiency indicator toolbox that we have developed within the ODYSSEE database in recent years and find that there is still a considerable gap to close to achieve the overall energy efficiency targets in Germany by 2020. We also show that progress in energy efficiency slowed down between 2008 and 2012, i.e. compared to the base year of most of the German energy efficiency targets and find that energy efficiency progress in the industrial sector during the last decade has been especially slow. We conclude that improvements in energy efficiency have to speed up considerably in order to achieve the targets for 2020. Although the use of energy efficiency indicators is limited by data constraints and some methodological problems, these indicators give a deep insight into the factors determining energy consumption and can therefore complement the official monitoring process of the German “Energiewende” which only relies on highly aggregated indicators for energy efficiency

State of the low-carbon energy union : assessing the EU's progress towards its 2030 and 2050 climate objectives

Rather than examining aggregate emissions trends, this study delves deep into the dynamics affecting each sector of the EU energy system. It examines the structural changes taking place in power production, transport, buildings and industry, and benchmarks these with the changes required to reach the 2030 and 2050 targets. In so doing it aims to influence both the ambition and direction of future policy decisions, both at Member State and EU level. In order to assess the adequacy of the EU and its Member States policies with the 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation objectives, this study goes beyond the aggregate GHG emissions or energy use figures and analyse the underlying drivers of emission changes, following a sectoral approach (power generation, buildings, industry, and transport). Historical trends of emission drivers are compared with the required long-term deep decarbonisation pathways, which provide sectoral "benchmarks" or "corridors" against which to analyse the rate and direction of historical change for each Member State and the EU in aggregate. This approach allows the identification of the necessary structural changes in the energy system and policy interventions to reach deep decarbonisation, and therefore the comparison with the current policy programs at European and Member State level

A comprehensive indicator set for measuring multiple benefits of energy efficiency

In this paper, we develop a quantitative indicator approach including 20 indicators to measure the multiple benefits of energy efficiency (MB-EE). The MB-EEs are classified into three groups: environmental (e.g. energy savings, emissions), economic (e.g. GDP, employment), and social (health, energy poverty) aspects. We explain the methodological approach, the underlying data sources and limitations. The indicator set has been applied to 29 countries (EU28 plus Norway) for the period 2000 to 2015, proving that it allows to conduct in-depth comparisons of developments and differences across Europe. The indicator set also supports the design of well-suited energy policies by allowing to take into account, on an informed basis, more of the multiple impacts of energy efficiency. For example, our analysis of the effect of energy savings for the period 2000 to 2015 in Germany shows GHG savings of about 158 MtCO2eq., about 30,000 avoided deaths due to less air pollution, a reduction of Germany's import dependency by 5.8 percentage points and a growth of GDP by around 0.3% per year for the period 2010 to 2015) as a consequence of improved energy efficiency. To conclude, the presented approach allows to comprehensively and regularly assess policies in terms of their MB-EEs

A comprehensive indicator set for measuring multiple benefits of energy efficiency

In this paper, we develop a quantitative indicator approach including 20 indicators to measure the multiple benefits of energy efficiency (MB-EE). The MB-EEs are classified into three groups: environmental (e.g. energy savings, emissions), economic (e.g. GDP, employment), and social (health, energy poverty) aspects. We explain the methodological approach, the underlying data sources and limitations. The indicator set has been applied to 29 countries (EU28 plus Norway) for the period 2000 to 2015, proving that it allows to conduct in-depth comparisons of developments and differences across Europe. The indicator set also supports the design of well-suited energy policies by allowing to take into account, on an informed basis, more of the multiple impacts of energy efficiency. For example, our analysis of the effect of energy savings for the period 2000 to 2015 in Germany shows GHG savings of about 158 MtCO2eq., about 30,000 avoided deaths due to less air pollution, a reduction of Germany's import dependency by 5.8 percentage points and a growth of GDP by around 0.3% per year for the period 2010 to 2015) as a consequence of improved energy efficiency. To conclude, the presented approach allows to comprehensively and regularly assess policies in terms of their MB-EEs

Tracking sectoral progress in the deep decarbonisation of energy systems in Europe

International audienceDecarbonisation of energy systems requires deep structural change. The purpose of this research was to analyse the rates of change taking place in the energy systems of each Member State of the European Union (EU), and the EU in aggregate, in the light of the EU's climate change mitigation objectives. Trends on indicators such as sectoral activity levels and composition, energy intensity, and carbon intensity of energy were compared with decadal benchmarks derived from deep decarbonisation scenarios. The methodology applied provides a useful and informative approach to tracking decarbonisation of energy systems. The results show that while the EU has made significant progress in decarbonising its energy system. On a number of indicators assessed the results show that a significant acceleration from historical levels is required in order to reach the rates of change seen on the future benchmarks for deep decarbonisation. The methodology applied provides an example of how the research community and international organisations could complement the transparency mechanism developed by the Paris Agreement on climate change, to improve understanding of progress toward low-carbon energy systems

State of the Low-Carbon Energy Union: Assessing the EU’s progress towards its 2030 and 2050 climate objectives

In order to assess the adequacy of the EU and its Member States policies with the 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation objectives, this study goes beyond the aggregate GHG emissions or energy use figures and analyse the underlying drivers of emission changes, following a sectoral approach (power generation, buildings, industry, and transport).L’UE a fait des progrès importants en matière de décarbonation structurelle de son système énergétique. Elle n’est cependant actuellement pas « sur les rails » pour atteindre ses objectifs d’ici 2030 et 2050. L’UE et les États membres doivent revoir en profondeur leur approche de la décarbonation en se recentrant sur les principaux moteurs d’émissions dans chaque secteur. Dans ce cadre, cette étude a analysé de données très nombreuses données afin d’identifier quels changements structurels étaient nécessaires pour une trajectoire du système énergétique compatible avec l’objectif des 2°C en Europe, puis ces données ont été comparées aux tendances actuelles des émissions, pour chaque secteur (secteur électrique, bâtiment, industrie, transport) et chaque État membre