Efficient energy use, sometimes called energy efficiency and energy saving, is to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services.
Energy efficiency and energy savings can be defined as the energy consumption for this service, and usually refer to the improvement of this relationship.
Improving energy efficiency is associated with the technical energy characteristics of the mechanism of delivery of different types of energy, but also can better management or organization of energy consumption.
Energy is inextricably linked to the socio-economic development, so it is easy to imagine that this trend can be a means to achieve political objectives outside the energy sector. Some of the results may be indirect, or be the result of a chain of actions, which are difficult to relate to this concept.
However, we can assume that improving the energy efficiency and energy savings affect the various sectors of the economy, often in different regions simultaneously, and a direct impact is one of the region's economy can affect another.
Traditionally, most attention in this field, the use of less energy for the same energy services. However, it may also increase the volume of services for the same amount of energy consumed.
Thus, the energy efficiency can be achieved in the case where either a lower energy consumption to provide the same level of service, or the same energy is consumed for the highest level of services. Energy efficiency measures and energy savings can be attributed to:
- rational energy consumption;
- the energy-saving mode.
Energy efficiency and energy saving is an important aspect, and focused on activities, such as reducing the losses in electricity production or to increase industrial activity. Important in both formats.
Understanding of the wave effect, which can occur as a result of improving energy efficiency throughout the economy could be useful in developing targeted policies.
Here, the various benefits from the efficient use of energy the individual /sectoral/national/international typology. Multiple benefits of energy efficiency and energy saving: the increase may be a considerable number of advantages in many areas.
A list of many of the wider benefits that can be obtained using these measures:
The advantages of energy efficiency and energy saving
Health and welfare
Especially clearly proved the positive effect energy efficiency and energy saving in the residential sector, health and related social consequences. A wide range of diseases, particularly respiratory diseases and asthma among children were closely cold, damp and mildew in the apartments.
Energy efficiency and energy saving in the construction industry, in particular, can bring a wide range of tangible benefits to the health of the residents of houses, office workers and many other groups and the whole population. Health effects of one inefficient housing and appliances.
Poverty and affordability of energy
Context of high energy prices and financial constraints of the poor often can not afford enough services to maintain healthy living conditions, forced it is not enough to heat the home to endure poor air quality in the premises and/or give up other necessities, such as food: this phenomenon, sometimes called "heat or food". This situation is usually described as "fuel poverty." Energy efficiency and conservation can solve the problem by taking measures at the household level to reduce energy costs, insulation and design, supply efficient equipment for space heating and water heating, and lighting, as well as training in the efficient use of energy among the residents.
Access to energy services is essential to release people out of poverty by providing raw materials for the socio-economic development. Measures to improve energy efficiency, which energy supplier you can free up additional resources by reducing technical losses in the systems of energy production and distribution.
Industrial productivity and competitiveness
There are many improvements in industrial productivity, which can provide energy efficient production and save energy. These include increased profit, safer working conditions, consistency and improvement of quality and production, lower capital and operating costs and reducing scrap and energy. The benefits can be obtained in these industries worldwide through increasing competitiveness and can spread to everyday working conditions, safety and job satisfaction of individual employees.
The benefits of energy suppliers and infrastructure
At first glance it may seem that energy efficiency and energy saving, contrary to the commercial interests of the energy producers. However, research shows that energy providers receive many benefits from the perspective to provide better energy services to customers, reduce operating costs and increase profits.
Up to 10% of the benefits, due to measures to increase likely to accrue directly to energy providers, which explains why many institutions have already implemented ambitious measures to manage demand, to stimulate, in many countries legislative obligations in this area.
Increase the value of the property
There is some evidence that investors are willing to pay the rent and premium in the sale of real estate, which is the best energy efficiency.
For example, energy is one of the highest operating cost in most offices, so the present value of future energy savings can be added to the resale value. Studies show that the market increasingly reflects these arguments.
Existing analyses of the data show that green buildings have increased resale value and rental rates, and also offer a wider range of benefits even more than the value of the assets: they have higher employment, increased comfort, lower maintenance costs and lower capitalization rates and higher productivity growth.
Job creation
Investments in energy efficiency programs and energy efficiency have significant potential to create jobs and short lead time. Net improvement in employment is explained by the improvement programmes through direct job creation and indirectly through consumer surplus spending, in addition to other advantages, the state budget, such as reducing unemployment benefits. Direct jobs created during the implementation of measures to improve the energy efficiency and conservation are the easiest to measure, and most likely a lot. Indirect jobs can also be created in the production of raw materials, however, these jobs can be maintained only for a certain program.
To reduce public spending related to energy is the future of the public sector as a separate economic unit. Energy efficiency and energy savings contribute to reducing the burden on the national budget and improve the fiscal balance.
Security of energy supply
Energy efficiency has an important role to reduce the dependence of countries on imports to meet their needs and thus contribute to the formation of the different energy balance. As a result, which can pass the security of energy supply, are structurally dependent on the energy sector in the country.
Macro-economic effects
Energy efficiency and energy savings can result in significant positive macroeconomic effects such as GDP growth, trade balance, economy restructuring, employment and national competitiveness. They can have a significant impact on the country's budget. Investments in this direction, to which the transfer of capital from energy to less energy-intensive activities.
This can have a significant impact on the economy and energy management in General, if translation is associated with structural changes in the economy from more labour-intensive activities.
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Energy efficiency and energy savings to reduce fossil fuel energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, the measures are expected to affect 44% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the year 2035, there is the possibility to achieve the international targets on climate change.
Compared to other measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, as a rule, is more cost-effective, and it can be implemented quickly. To reduce emissions has already been recognized as one of the most important results of the energy efficiency increase measures and are often already measured as a rate of assessment of existing programmes.
The decline in energy prices
The decline in energy prices depend on several factors, such as energy supply, energy demand and market situation. Ceteris paribus, if demand for services is reduced, energy prices should fall, and it is expected that energy efficiency and energy savings to provide the necessary reductions in energy demand.
Management of natural resources
Another benefit of reducing energy demand is to ease the pressure on natural resources.
Taking into account that by 2035, global production of conventional crude oil to reduce the energy efficiency and conservation has become increasingly important measure to relieve pressure on limited resources. Objective development sustainable development is an international responsibility and access to modern energy services is crucial to ensure that the basic necessities of life, as well as the conditions for socio-economic development.