Energy efficiency and the policy mix

Treaty of Lisbon; Advancing European Union's Energy Security through External Energy Policy.

This article connects the literatures of policy evaluation, policy mixes and sustainability transition. It utilises client-oriented evaluation to examine national policies in Finland from the perspective of low-carbon buildings transition. In Finland, energy efficiency has traditionally received less focus in energy and climate policy strategies compared to renewable energy. Since 2007, energy efficiency policies addressing buildings gained force. Sixteen new policy instruments were implemented during 2007–2014 and several revisions were made to the building code energy efficiency requirements. To what extent these changes contribute to ‘creative destruction’ in the policy domain is uncertain. Therefore, we conduct a client-oriented evaluation of the policy mix from the perspective of a boundary actor—integrated energy service companies—to analyse its potential for facilitating zero-carbon transition. The findings show a divergence of opinions regarding the policy mix’s disruptive influence. Where potentially disruptive policy instruments can be found, their impact is reduced due to incoherence in policy implementation processes. The usability of client-oriented evaluation for policy mix analysis is found limited on its own but useful in complementing top-down policy evaluations. We also propose an additional function to the creative destruction policy mix: ‘changes in organisational and institutional practices’, linking to the coherence of policy mixes.

Analysis and projection of energy consumption in Ecuador: Energy efficiency policies in the transportation sector

Do sustainable energy policies matter for reducing air pollution?

This chapter analyses the milestones of EU energy policy, focusing primarily on the period beginning in 2007, when the 2020 Climate and Energy Package was adopted, and including the establishment of the Energy Union in 2015, and the formation of the European Green Deal at the end of 2019. It discusses the increasing cooperation among Member States and EU institutions and the transformation of the energy sector and climate issues into one of the key EU policies. The chapter explores the Energy Union’s role as a hub linking energy and climate governance. In 2007, the European Council adopted ambitious climate and energy targets under the 2020 Climate and Energy Package. A different challenge lies ahead for EU energy governance, which is faced with the tension between growing European harmonisation, the EC’s increasing competences, and the principle of Member State sovereignty over national energy mixes.

Designing effective and acceptable policy mixes for energy transitions: Countering rebound effects in German industry

First and last and always: Politics of the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle in EU energy and climate policy

It can be argued that one way to reduce the dependence from external energy sources, is simply to reduce the demand for energy. Energy savings may thus be considered a policy priority when concerns for energy security are particularly strong. Drawing on an original econometric approach, we check whether policies and measures that affect indicators of energy efficiency performance have an analogous effect on security of supply indicators, both at the whole economy level and within the main sectors of energy use in the EU 15 countries and Norway. Our analyses show that the indicators studied are affected by a number of policies and measures; however very few of them seem able to tackle effectively and simultaneously, energy efficiency, carbon efficiency and energy security. The main lesson to be drawn from this analysis is therefore that there is a number of energy efficiency policies in the EU that do work, but there is no silver bullet able to successfully address different policy objectives. Taking a more general perspective, what seems to work is the policy mix rather than this or that policy in insulation.

Reducing the energy consumption of households and making them more energy efficient are indispensable for fulfilling the European Union's energy strategy since more than one-third of total EU energy use is consumed by households.Our research here focuses on the development of building design methods since, decisions made during the early design phase significantly affect the energy consumption and energy efficiency of the building.In Hungary, current simulation methods are not sufficiently effective in evaluating potential alternatives in the early design process; therefore, in our research, we look for new solutions based on decision support systems.In our view, either a classic AHP or a Hybrid Fuzzy AHP based system could fulfil this task.In this article, we will demonstrate the structure and use of the developed systems, and we will compare them to the simulation methods commonly used nowadays.Further, we will test and evaluate the performance of the decision support system based models developed by us, applying them to four typical buildings in Hungary.Lastly, we will propose opportunities for further development.

S Such geoeconomic and geopolitical factors as Russian armed aggression against Ukraine caused the energy crisis in the European Union (EU), exposing the EU’s vulnerabilities due to its overdependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. As a consequence of gas supply disruptions, substantial rises in energy prices and heightened safety concerns, the EU's energy policies have been thoroughly reassessed. Therefore, the article aims to examine the profound ramifications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine on European energy markets and elucidate the strategies articulated in European Commission initiatives intended to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Within this framework, the REPowerEU plan is especially beneficial for the rapid diversification and increased integration of renewable energy sources. These initiatives have the potential to result in a structural transformation of the EU's energy landscape, necessitating coordinated regulatory initiatives, infrastructure advancements, and cooperative energy diplomacy. Current research reveals the potential for economic expansion, strengthened industrial primacy and progress towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through the environmentally sustainable metamorphosis of Europe's energy framework. The results of this scientific research can also be used for the further implementation of the strategy of achieving sustainable development of the EU member states in the context of the development of clean energy, which will allow meeting the needs of the population of these countries in the near future without endangering future generations.

Exceeding Pinch limits by process configuration of an existing modern crude oil distillation unit – A case study from refining industry

Belt and road initiative (BRI) contains the transport, construction, and energy‐related projects to push the wheel of economic development of BRI's participant at the cost of ecological consequences. These sectors are highly energy‐intensive and upsurge the CO2 emission. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are considered two essential solutions to control CO2 emissions. Energy efficiency is proficient in yielding energy and demand savings that can relocate the electricity generation from primary energy resources, that is why, nowadays, energy efficiency is considered as an energy resource worldwide. Fiscal policy is a vital policy tool regarding energy policies related to production, growth, distribution, and energy consumption. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between energy efficiency and CO2 emission in light of the fiscal policy index for BRI countries. The results infer that energy efficiency and fiscal policy deteriorate the CO2 emission. On the other side, FDI and GDP will lead to an increase in CO2 emission. This study provides useful insights for policymakers on how to take preventive and remedial measures to reduce CO2 emissions in different sectors and demonstrated that technology in the energy sector could help to mitigate climate change through energy efficiency. Furthermore, future research can be carried out on how digitalization, energy efficiency monitoring processes, and management process can help to mitigate.

Changes in the natural gas market related to the implementation of the requirements of the European Union's Third Energy Package affect the financial security of gas distribution companies. Changes in the natural gas market related to the implementation of the requirements of the European Union's Third Energy Package affect the financial security of gas distribution companies. The purpose of the article is to develop a scientific and methodological approach to the selection of an organizational and economic mechanism for ensuring the financial security of gas distribution enterprises, which takes into account the combination of their status as natural monopoly entities and enterprises, and to substantiate practical recommendations for its implementation. A set of methods of scientific cognition was used, namely: the fundamental provisions of the theory of finance, probability theory and mathematical statistics, and the method of adaptive forecasting. The choice of the optimal type of organizational and economic mechanism for ensuring the financial security of gas distribution enterprises is proposed to be carried out taking into account the phased withdrawal from the financial crisis. If the type of mechanism is used effectively, the enterprise proceeds to implement a preventive mechanism; if it is ineffective, it is necessary to review the measures or proceed to the liquidation procedure; if the preventive mechanism is used effectively, the enterprise proceeds to the stabilization mechanism or a radical one. The scientific and methodological approach to the choice of an organizational and economic mechanism for ensuring the financial security of gas distribution enterprises in Ukraine has been proposed. It is aimed at consistent and targeted implementation of a set of preventive, stabilization and radical measures that enables prevention of financial risk, timely assessment and forecasting of its level, as well as development, implementation and monitoring of the relevant program. The implementation of the proposed scientific and methodological approach in the practical activities of gas distribution enterprises involves the preparation of substantive information, analytical and methodological support, which consists in a comprehensive analysis of financial security.

Many developed countries regularly conduct building energy use benchmarking for continuous monitoring and evaluation of energy efficiency (EE) programs and policies to inform the design of new ones. Such activities also provide an opportunity to engage with building owners, tenants, and managers on RE and EE policies and programs. Our study was aimed at developing a methodology for citywide energy benchmarking exercises in India. We tested a novel benchmarking methodology for offices in Kochi to understand the availability of data and practical challenges if benchmarking were to be scaled up. The study was also aimed at documenting barriers to retrofits for different owner-tenant models

How would the European Union fare without Russian energy?