For other uses, see Energy efficiency (disambiguation).
Efficient energy use, or energy efficiency, is the process of reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services. There are many technologies and methods available that are more energy efficient than conventional systems. For example, insulating a building allows it to use less heating and cooling energy while still maintaining a comfortable temperature. Another method is to remove energy subsidies that promote high energy consumption and inefficient energy use.[1] Improved energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and transportation could reduce the world's energy needs in 2050 by one third.[2]
There are two main motivations to improve energy efficiency. Firstly, one motivation is to achieve cost savings during the operation of the appliance or process. However, installing an energy-efficient technology comes with an upfront cost, the capital cost. The different types of costs can be analyzed and compared with a life-cycle assessment. Another motivation for energy efficiency is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hence work towards climate action. A focus on energy efficiency can also have a national security benefit because it can reduce the amount of energy that has to be imported from other countries.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy go hand in hand for sustainable energy policies.[3] They are high priority actions in the energy hierarchy.
^Indra Overland (2010). "Subsidies for Fossil Fuels and Climate Change: A Comparative Perspective". International Journal of Environmental Studies. 67 (3): 203–217. Bibcode:2010IJEnS..67..303O. doi:10.1080/00207233.2010.492143. S2CID 98618399. Archived from the original on 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
^"The value of urgent action on energy efficiency – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
^Prindle, Bill; Eldridge, Maggie; Eckhardt, Mike; Frederick, Alyssa (May 2007). The twin pillars of sustainable energy: synergies between energy efficiency and renewable energy technology and policy. Washington, DC, US: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.545.4606.
and 24 Related for: Efficient energy use information
conserving energyEfficientenergyuse, minimizing the amount of energyused for a given, constant energy service Energy conservation, reducing energy consumption...
the energy industry Climate change White's law Energy conservation, the practice of decreasing the quantity of energyusedEfficientenergyuseEnergy efficiency...
example, by driving less). Energy conservation can be achieved through efficientenergyuse, which has some advantages, including a reduction in greenhouse gas...
not, and are therefore much less energyefficient than they may otherwise seem. Hybrid and electric cars use less energy in their operation than comparable...
Grid energy storage (also called large-scale energy storage) is a collection of methods used for energy storage on a large scale within an electrical power...
Kennedy, “EnergyEfficient Transformers” McGraw-Hill, 1998. "J. Li, "Use of EnergyEfficient Transformers in Asia", presented in Asian Energy Conference...
production. Energy portal Physics portal Renewable energy portal Combustion EfficientenergyuseEnergy democracy Energy crisis Energy recovery Energy recycling...
most energy-efficient, environmentally sound methods are used in design and construction. Bioclimatic design principles are able to reduce energy expenditure...
of work done to thermal energy consumed Efficientenergyuse, the objective of maximising efficiency In thermodynamics: Energy conversion efficiency, measure...
storage and use vary from small to large – from individual processes to district, town, or region. Usage examples are the balancing of energy demand between...
Jevons paradox is sometimes used to argue that energy conservation efforts are futile, for example, that more efficientuse of oil will lead to increased...
EcoAuto (in Canada) Efficientenergyuse Emission standard Energy content of Biofuel Energy conservation Energy conversion efficiency Energy density FF layout...
Renewable energy (or green energy) is energy from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale. Using renewable energy technologies...
promote efficientenergyuse in computer power supply units (PSUs). Certification is acquirable for products that have more than 80% energy efficiency...
builders of energyefficient homes are able to qualify for Federal Income tax credits and deductions. Energy Star estimated in 2020 that energyuse in commercial...
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar...
increase in efficientenergyuse. These include the roll out of smart meters, the Green Deal, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, the Energy Savings Opportunity...
the top 5 priorities for the country's technological development: efficientenergyuse; nuclear technology; information technology; medical technology and...
energy recovery. Wind systems on ships are under development. Very little work on the airline industry is known in this field. Efficientenergyuse Energy...
regional differences in energyuse. Townhouses are more energyefficient than single-family homes because less heat, for example, is used per person. Similarly...
voltage signals at high electrical efficiency. Antenna efficiency EfficientenergyuseEnergy conversion efficiency Index of electronics articles Maximum power...
Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) is a Cabinet-level agency under the Governor of Massachusetts. EOEEA is responsible for promoting efficient energy...
economic development, efficientuse of energy, and energy security to ensure that each country has constant access to sufficient energy. Social issues include...