Abstract
Renewable energy and energy efficiency are twin pillars of asustainable energy future.1 As energy services are delivered moreefficiently, renewables can more quickly become an effective andsignificant contributor to the primary energy supply. Concurrently,as the share of renewables increases, less primary energy isneeded to provide the same level of energy services.Energy efficiency measures and renewable energy options canwork together to reduce system-wide environmental and economiccosts. For example, distributed renewable energy systems itogether with energy efficiency improvements can reduce peakelectricity demand on the grid while easing transmission lossesand bottlenecks. Non-fuel renewables—such as wind, solar, andhydropower—can improve system efficiencies on their own, asthey remove the losses inherent in the thermal conversion of fossilfuels. The two pillars support each other to enable applicationsthat otherwise might not be technically or economically practical,thereby rendering the outcome greater than the sum of the parts.The total amount of energy required to deliver basic servicesdepends on both the energy source and the losses that occurat each step (i.e., primary energy extraction, transformation,transportation, transmission, and end-use). Each of thesesteps presents an opportunity to improve the energy efficiencyof the overall system, which is advantageous irrespective ofthe primary energy source. However, special synergies existbetween energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, in bothtechnical and policy contexts. Examples of these synergies include: Synergies for greater system benefits. Efficient buildingsystems and designs, combined with on-site renewableenergy generation, reduce end-use energy demand,electrical grid congestion and losses, and the monetary andenergy expenditures associated with fuel transportation.Synergies for greater renewable energy share in theenergy mix. Improving end-use efficiency and increasinguse of on-site renewables reduce primary energy demand.With lower end-use energy requirements, the opportunityincreases for renewable energy sources of low energy densityto meet full energy-service needs. Targets to increase theshare of renewables in total energy consumption can beachieved through both increasing the amount of renewableenergy and reducing total energy consumption.Synergies for greater investment in renewables andefficiency. Improvements in end-use energy efficiencyreduce the cost of delivering end-use services by renewableenergy, and the money saved through efficiency canhelp finance additional efficiency improvements and/ordeployment of renewable energy technologies.These synergies exist across numerous sectors, from buildingsand electrical services to transportation and industry.2 (p SeeFeature, GSR 2012.)
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Renewables 2015 - Global Status Report : Annual Reporting on Renewables: Ten years of excellence |
| Place of Publication | Paris |
| Publisher | Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century |
| Publication date | 2016 |
| Pages | 112-121 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-3-9815934-6-4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
