Greater energy efficiency cuts the cost of the Energiewende, reduces C02 emissions and saves fuel imports. The Agora study “Positive effects of energy efficiency in the German power sector” strikingly shows the extent to which power system costs can be reduced. Moreover, the study establishes a quantitative value for a single saved kilowatt-hour, giving measurable worth to the saying, “the cheapest energy is saved energy.” The result: many efficiency measures make good economic sense. A vast amount of highly profitable efficiency potential has been left unrealised. This is the case despite the pressure of long-term climate and energy savings goals.
The German government wants to put effective measures in place. The EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency provide a concrete reason to act.
Both the directive and the efficiency goals of the government’s energy concept are ambitious. It is possible that a single measure alone will not suffice to achieve them. At the core is the question of whether energy efficiency can be established as a business model of the future and which regulatory framework can sustainably activate this proven economic potential.