Efficient energy use, sometimes called energy efficiency and energy saving, is the goal of the reduction of the amount of energy required for the supply of products and services.
The energy efficiency and the saving of energy can be defined as the level of energy consumption for the provision of this service, and usually refer to the improvement of this relationship.
Improving energy efficiency involves the improvement of energy technologies characteristics of delivery mechanism of the different types of energy, but may also include the improvement of the management or the organization of energy.
Energy is intimately related with the socio-economic development, therefore, it is not difficult to imagine that this trend can be a means to the achievement of policy objectives outside the energy sector. Some of the results may be indirect, or be the result of a chaining of actions, that it is difficult to attribute to that concept.
However, it can be considered that the energy efficiency measures and energy saving have an impact on the different areas of the economy, often in different areas at the same time, and a direct impact on the same area of the economy can affect another.
Traditionally, the focus of this area, focuses on the use of the least amount of energy for the same energy services. However, this can also lead to an increase in the production of services for the same amount of energy it consumes.
Therefore, the improvement of energy efficiency can be achieved when a lower consumption of energy to provide the same level of services, or the same energy that is consumed for the highest level of service. Activities of energy efficiency and energy saving can be geared principally to:
- rationalize the consumption of energy;
- the power-saving mode.
The energy efficiency and energy saving is an important aspect and focus on activities such as the reduction of losses in the production of energy or the increase of the industrial activity. Important are the two forms.
The understanding of the effect of waves, which may occur as a result of the improvement of the energy efficiency and energy savings across the economy can be very useful in the development of a policy.
Here we explain the different benefits of the efficient use of the energy of individual/sectoral/state/international typology. The many benefits of energy efficiency and energy saving: the increase may give important many advantages in a wide range of sectors.
The list of the most spacious of the many benefits that can be obtained with these measures:
Advantages in the improvement of the energy efficiency and energy saving
The health and well-being
Especially compelling demonstrates the positive impact of the energy efficiency and energy savings in the housing sector in the health of the population and the social effects. A wide range of diseases, especially respiratory and asthma among children, are closely linked with cold temperatures, the humidity and mold in dwellings.
Improvement of energy efficiency and energy savings in the buildings sector, in particular, can bring a wide range of tangible benefits for the health of the inhabitants of the houses, in the office, and many other groups, as well as in the general population. Health effects, and in equal measure be due to an ineffective management of the household and its appliances.
The fight against poverty and the availability of the energy
In an environment of high energy prices and financial constraints and the poor often cannot afford the luxury of sufficient services to maintain the health of the conditions of life, are forced it is not enough to heat the house, tolerate the poor quality of indoor air and/or forgo other necessities, such as food: the phenomenon, sometimes known as "heat or food". This situation is generally described as "poverty". The energy efficiency and the energy saving can resolve this problem through the adoption of measures at the household level for the reduction of energy costs through insulation and design, effective delivery of the appliances, equipment for heating and cooling, heating and lighting, as well as efficient training in the use of energy among residents.
The access to energy services is critical for the exit of people out of poverty through the provision of raw materials for the socio-economic development. Energy efficiency measures adopted by energy providers can free up additional resources by reducing the losses of the technical systems of production and distribution of energy.
Industrial productivity and competitiveness
There are a lot of improvements in industrial productivity, which can provide the energy efficiency of the production and saving of energy. These include increased profit, safer working conditions, consistency and improvement of the quality and of the production, the reduction of the capital costs and the operating costs and the reduction of the consumption of metal and energy. The benefits can be obtained from the industries at the global level, the increase of competitiveness and can be applied to the conditions of work, safety and job satisfaction of the workers.
The advantages for the providers of energy and infrastructure
At first sight it may seem that the energy efficiency and energy savings are contrary to the commercial interests of energy providers. However, studies show that energy suppliers receive a large amount of advantages from the point of view of the provision of better energy services to customers, reduce operating costs and improve profits.
Up to 10% of all profits derived from efficiency measures, probably, will be awarded directly to the energy providers, which explains why many utilities are already taking ambitious measures to the management of demand, which stimulate in many countries, the legal obligations in this matter.
The increase in the value of the assets
There is some evidence that investors are willing to pay the rent, and the award of the sale of the real estate with the best indicators of energy.
For example, energy is one of the highest transaction costs in the majority of offices, therefore, the net present value of the future savings of energy can be added to the price of the resale. Studies show that the market increasingly reflects this reasoning.
The existing analysis of data show that green buildings have increased resale value and rents, and also offer a wide range of benefits, even beyond the value of the assets: they have more high rates of employment, greater comfort, lower operating costs and lower cap rates and higher productivity growth.
The creation of jobs
The investment in energy efficiency programs and savings of energy have a considerable potential for the creation of jobs with less execution time. Clean the improvement of the employment indicators may explain the improvement programmes directly, through the creation of jobs and, indirectly, for the account of excess of expenditure of consumers, in addition to other benefits for public budgets, as well as the reduction of unemployment benefits. Direct jobs created in the implementation of energy efficiency measures and energy-saving easier to measure, and is likely to be much. Indirect jobs can also be created in the production of raw materials, however, these jobs can be stored for a period of a particular program.
The reduction in public spending related to energy is the perspective of the public sector as an entity of the economy. Improvement of energy efficiency and energy savings, will help to reduce the burden on national budgets and improve the financial balance.
The energy security
Energy efficiency plays an important role in the reduction of countries ' reliance on imports to meet its needs and, therefore, contributes to the formation of diverse energy balance. The consequences, which affect the energy security, structural, depend on the energy sector in the country.
The macroeconomic effects of the
Energy efficiency improvement and energy saving can affect positive macroeconomic impact, as well as the increase in gdp, the trade balance, the restructuring of the economy, employment and competitiveness. They can have a significant impact on the national budget. The investment in this direction represent the translation of the capital to the energy sector in less-intensive energy activities.
This can have important consequences for the economics and management of energy in general, if the translation involves the reconstruction of the economy in the heaviest of activities.
The reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases
Improvement of energy efficiency and energy savings reduce the consumption of energy from fossil fuels and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. In fact, the measures, it is expected to contribute 44% reduction of carbon emissions, in 2035, to have the possibility to achieve the international goals on climate change.
In comparison with other measures of reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, energy efficiency, as a general rule, it is more cost effective and can be implemented quickly. The reduction of emissions has been recognized as one of the main results of the energy efficiency measures and is often measured as, of course, on the evaluation of existing programs.
The reduction of energy prices
The reduction of the prices of the energy are determined by a number of factors, such as the level of energy supply, energy demand and market conditions. In equality of conditions, if the demand goes down the price of energy must fall, and it is expected that the improvement of the energy efficiency and energy savings to ensure the required reduction of the energy demand.
Management of natural resources
Another of the benefits of the reduction of the energy demand is the weakening of the pressure on the natural resources.
Taking into account that by 2035 the world's production of crude oil normal will reduce the energy efficiency and energy savings will be an increasingly important measure to relieve pressure on the limited resources. The development objectives of achievement of sustainable development are the international of the task, and the access to modern energy services is essential to ensure that the main necessities of life, as well as the conditions for socio-economic development.