Energy efficiency or energy demand?

Energy efficiency has long been hailed as a central pillar in climate change mitigation through its role in reducing energy demand – not least by eceee. However, some now question whether the energy efficiency narrative is sufficient for emission reduction goals. This is a welcome development, as this narrative has often been synonymous with improving technical efficiency, while obscuring the question of reducing demand for energy services – as opposed to delivering those same services more efficiently. Further, it carries an implicit techno-centric bias, overlooking non-technological solutions. A classic example is the EU’s estimates of potentially large energy savings that could be achieved by more efficient tumble dryers – a study measure which could encourage dryer purchase, significantly increasing energy use over hanging clothes to dry. This paper draws on conclusions from three research projects at the Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand (CIED), including one finding that a shift to electric cars risks maintaining high travel demand, preventing a deeper transition to a more sustainable transport system, and another forecasting significantly lower household energy savings from the UK smart meter rollout than previously estimated. I conclude that the energy efficiency narrative might lock us in to high energy lifestyles through seeking ways to maintain, rather than disrupt, business as usual behaviours. I suggest that a complementary energy demand reduction narrative could highlight the limits to (technical) efficiency savings, and open a way for policy to engage with the deeper changes needed to our demand for energy services.