Energy Efficiency: A Recipe for Success. World Energy Council 2010 - For sustainable energy. Executive Summary

This report describes and evaluates energy efficiency trends and policies around the world. While ADEME coordinated this WEC project, the study was carried out over three years with the technical assistance of ENERDATA. The first objective of the study was to identify the recent trends in energy efficiency performance for different countries. A selection of indicators has been used for that and they are available on the WEC web site: www.worldenergy.org. These indicators were analysed by main world regions and presented by country using maps. The second objective was to describe and evaluate energy efficiency policies carried out throughout the world. About 90 countries are covered, a survey was conducted out in about 70 countries and a literature review for the remaining countries. The survey was completed with detailed case studies and focused on seven policy measures: prepared by experts: innovative communication tools, good practices in the public sector, successful financial tools for households, energy efficiency measures for low income households, obligation of energy savings, regulation and compliance and smart meters. Beyond a review of the energy efficiency measures the evaluation aimed to pinpoint the most interesting experiences and draw some conclusions about advantages and drawbacks of different policies. These conclusions should enable countries embarking on energy demand management policies to benefit from the experience of the most developed countries. More and more countries are introducing regulatory or incentive measures for an increasing number of equipment and sectors to slow down the energy demand growth. Despite the continued important role of market instruments (voluntary agreements, labelling information, dissemination), regulatory measures are increasingly used, in particular in sectors in which the market fails to give appropriate signals (e.g. buildings, appliances, etc). The study highlights a number of innovative measures, such as taxes related to the efficiency of cars, the phase out of incandescent lamps, energy savings targets by sector, mandatory installation of efficient equipment, obligation of energy savings for energy companies and others. The study ends ups with 10 main recommendations, emphasising the need for: 1) incentive energy prices, 2) sustainable institutional support, 3) innovative financing, 4) quality standards for energy efficient equipment and services, 5) regular review and strengthening of regulations, 6) packages rather than single measures; 7) measures adapted to less developed countries; 8) measures focused on behaviour; 9) monitoring of the impact of measures; and 10) enhancement of international cooperation. Given a broad geographical coverage and the correlation between indicators and policy measures, this report represents an original approach to energy efficiency evaluation.