new approaches to reducing absolute energy consumption: sufficiency and progressive efficiency...
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New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption: Sufficiency and Progressive EfficiencySummary of work conducted on behalf of eceee and EPA ENERGY STAR with support from ECF
Chris Calwell, Senior Research Fellow, AuthorNils Borg, eceee Executive Director, Co-Presenter
EnR working group, Madrid, 24-25 September 2009
About eceee
• Europe’s largest energy-efficiency NGO
• Membership-based association – members are individuals and organisations. Approx 60 organisations, 150 personal members
• Several products– Web site (access to proceedings, topical overviews)– newsletter– Seminars– Biennial Summer Study in south of France– Policy briefs, position papers, briefings, studies
• Active in several fora– Eco-design consultation forum– Bucharest Forum (previously Amsterdam Forum)– EPBD recast work
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •2
23-04-19 •New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 3
EU climate change progress (1990-2006)
23-04-19 •New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 4
Role of efficiency in addressing climate change in the U.S.
23-04-19 •New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 5
Total primary energy consumptions for U.S. buildings
Trends in EU Housing Efficiency, 1990 - 2004
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
Per
centa
ge
Chan
ge
Stock of Dwellings
Energy Consumption per Dwelling
Lighting and Electrical Appliances Consumption per Dwelling
Number of Dwellings per 1000 People
Total Residential Energy Consumption
Space Heating Consumption per Dwelling
EU houses getting more efficient, but total home energy use keeps rising
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •6
Why?
• Our success metrics often aim to cut relative consumption or energy used per unit of service delivered, not absolute consumption – Miles per gallon, l/100 km, g CO2/km (Vehicles)
– HERS Rating (Energy use relative to “standard” home of identical size)– Lumens/watt (Lighting)– CFM/watt (Fans)– Watts/cubic foot, kWh/liter (Refrigerators)– Watts/square inch (Televisions)
As a result, we slow the rate of growth but don’t turn consumption downward, because more and more products are sold each year with ever-higher performance.
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •7
Result: Products get more efficient but still use more energy
All gains in U.S. vehicle efficiency since 1987 traded for performance.
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •8
Traditional energy specifications
As products get larger or more powerful, they are allowed to consume proportionally more power.
Power Use (watts)
Per
form
ance
or
Siz
e
Y=MX (linear specification)
Y=MX (more stringent linear specification)
Power Use (watts)
Per
form
ance
or
Siz
e
Y=MX (linear specification)
Y=MX (more stringent linear specification)
Performance or Size
Pow
er U
se (
wat
ts)
Y=MX+B (more stringent linear specification)
Y=MX+B (linear specification)
Performance or Size
Pow
er U
se (
wat
ts)
Y=MX+B (more stringent linear specification)
Y=MX+B (linear specification)
In this example, the higher line (blue) is more stringent. Products need to fall above the line to qualify for the
specification.
In this example, the lower line (blue) is more stringent. Products need to fall below the line to qualify for the
specification.
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •9
Changes In New EU Refrigerators Over Time
-80%
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Unit Sales
Average Refrigerator Volume
Annual Energy Use From One Year's Sales
Efficiency (Annual kWh per Liter)
Changes in new EU refrigerators
1023-04-19 •New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption
Refrigerators: sobering realities
• Average energy use per cubic foot or liter of volume in new refrigerators has fallen dramatically: about 75% in EU and U.S. since mid-1970s
• But, 22% of U.S. homes now contain a second fridge
• 156 million U.S. fridges now in use, each consuming an average of 968 kwh/year (about twice as much as a new fridge)
• Global sales are 82 million units/year, rising by 4%/year
• Global refrigerator energy use likely higher now than at any point in history
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •11
A different approach: sufficiency
• Sufficiency challenges the notion that we can consume our way to a stable climate
• Argues for absolute upper bounds on consumption and efficiency specifications that plateau, no matter how much larger or more powerful products become
• Creating progressive efficiency specifications that approach such sufficiency limits and then stop increasing is a powerful way to achieve absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 1223-04-19 •
Progressive efficiency in televisions
Electric utilities in the U.S. are currently promoting and paying rebates on TVs (blue line) that use at least 15% less electricity than ENERGY STAR’s v.3 specification.
ENERGY STAR just announced a v.4 spec (purple line) that is more linear and stringent. It will take effect in May 2010.
ENERGY STAR’s v.5 spec (red line) allows no greater power use once TVs reach 50 inches. It will take effect in May 2012. This is one of the first progressive efficiency specifications ever adopted for a consumer product.
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 23-04-19 •13
Governments could pursue a variety of strategies towards sufficiency
• Establish continuous, progressive efficiency specifications for new products that are automatically updated
• Mandatory categorical labeling for all energy-using and energy-related consumer products (where applicable)
• Shift most utility rebates to super-efficient products• Fund increasing share of rebates from fees charged on the
least efficient products (bonus malus)• Use incentives to drive return/recycling of existing product
when new one is sold• Use education and financial incentives to change user
behavior• Cap or tax emissions of greenhouse gases on a schedule that
becomes more stringent over time• Adopt progressively tiered electric and natural gas rates
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 1423-04-19 •
Some steps have been taken
• California per-capita limit for electricity use (but this is offset by rapid population growth)
• ENERGY STAR TV specification v.5 sets a cap for energy use of TVs above 50 inches (but more and more TVs are in use)
• In the area of buildings: (net) zero energy buildings.
New ideas are taking root:• Zero- or even energy-producing appliances (ask Hans-Paul!)
• Thoughts about UK personal carbon allowances
New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption 1523-04-19 •
About Ecos
23-04-19 •16New Approaches to Reducing Absolute Energy Consumption
Thank you!
Chris Calwell (report author)ccalwell@ecosconsulting.com
(970) 259-6801 x301
Nils BorgExecutive Director, eceee
eceee@eceee.org
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