Impact of energy efficiency
How much carbon has been reduced thanks to energy efficiency? It’s widely known that the great switch from coal power to renewables has helped the UK and EU countries to meet their ambitions to cut carbon emissions. The report says the use of renewables reduced fossil fuel energy by the equivalent of 95 terawatt hours (TWh) between 2005 and now.
Last year renewables supplied a record 33 per cent share of UK electricity generation.
But in the meantime, humble energy efficiency has contributed to cutting energy demand by 103 TWh. In other words, in the carbon-cutting contest, efficiency has won – so far. And what’s more, efficiency is uncontrover- sial, unlike wind and solar.
What role has industry played?
The energy efficiency story doesn’t just apply to households. There have been major strides amongst industry too. Big supermarkets have worked hard to improve the performance of their lighting and refrigeration.
Because firms and individuals are using less energy, this has offset rising energy prices. So, whilst the prices have gone up, often bills have gone down.
Energy efficiency be allowed to shine?
Simon Evans from Carbon Brief stated, “Although the picture is complex, it’s clear that energy efficiency has played a huge role in help the UK to decarbonise - and I don’t think it’s got the recognition it should have.”
“Say you change from a B or C-rated fridge to an A++ rated fridge. That can halve your energy use from the appliance, so it’s pretty significant.”
The UK government has consistently said it champions energy efficiency, but campaigners say it could do more. The UN’s climate body also supports energy efficiency as a major policy objective, although the issue features little in media coverage.
Supporters of efficiency argue that ratcheting up efficiency standards for everything from planes and cars to computer displays and freezers offers the best-value carbon reductions without the pain of confronting the public with restrictions on their lifestyle choices.
The huge improvement in energy efficiency tends to be completely ignored. People haven’t noticed it because if efficiency improves, they are still able to have the energy services that they want. The fact that no-one notices it is part of its appeal.
Scientists will be keen to point out that government-imposed energy efficiency is just one of a host of cures needed to tackle the multi-faceted problem of an overheating planet.
So, by embracing the transition towards clean renewable energy and by selecting energy efficient appliances in our homes, we will be playing our part in saving our planet for generations to come and reducing the threat of climate change due to global warming.
When should we act?
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice Poland on December 3, 2018, Sir David Attenborough stated in his address:
“Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale. Our greatest threat in thousands of years. Climate Change. If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.”
It is up to each and every one of us to play our part and not wait for governments to take responsibility alone. We each contribute to global warming by our modern lifestyles, we use our cars, we fly around the world and we use subsidised electricity in our homes and businesses. It is time for us to reflect on how we can each make a positive contribution to mitigate the threat that confronts us and our planet.