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Revisiting energy efficiency fundamentals

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Abstract

Energy efficiency is a central target for energy policy and a keystone to mitigate climate change and to achieve a sustainable development. Although great efforts have been carried out during the last four decades to investigate the issue, focusing into measuring energy efficiency, understanding its trends and impacts on energy consumption and to design effective energy efficiency policies, many energy efficiency-related concepts, some methodological problems for the construction of energy efficiency indicators (EEI) and even some of the energy efficiency potential gains are often ignored or misunderstood, causing no little confusion and controversy not only for laymen but even for specialists. This paper aims to revisit, analyse and discuss some efficiency fundamental topics that could improve understanding and critical judgement of efficiency stakeholders and that could help in avoiding unfounded judgements and misleading statements. Firstly, we address the problem of measuring energy efficiency both in qualitative and quantitative terms. Secondly, main methodological problems standing in the way of the construction of EEI are discussed, and a sequence of actions is proposed to tackle them in an ordered fashion. Finally, two key topics are discussed in detail: the links between energy efficiency and energy savings, and the border between energy efficiency improvement and renewable sources promotion.

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Notes

  1. The amount of heat that could be transferred in a heat exchanger of infinite area.

  2. Passenger-distance is determined by multiplying the number of passengers by the distance a vehicle travels, typically measured as passenger-kilometre (pkm).

  3. It is worth mentioning the nuances introduced by some Romance languages such as Spanish, French and Italian, using the words ‘rendimiento’, ‘rendement’ and ‘rendimento’, respectively, to refer to non-dimensional thermodynamic efficiency indicators in particular.

  4. Some sources improperly refer to this type of indicators simply as energy intensities.

  5. Note that in this classification, building sector is split into residential (household) and commercial (non-residential). Note also that the IEA usually splits transportation into travel and freight and includes commercial buildings within the services sector.

  6. ASHRAE 55 (ASHRAE Standard 55 2010) defines thermal comfort as the state of mind which expresses satisfaction with the surrounding environment.

  7. See section 2.2 Pérez-Lombard et al. (2012) for details.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Termotecnia, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain

    Luis Pérez-Lombard & David Velázquez

  2. Building Research Establishment (BRE), Garston, Watford, WD25 9XX, UK

    José Ortiz

Authors
  1. Luis Pérez-Lombard
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  2. José Ortiz
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  3. David Velázquez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Pérez-Lombard.

Appendix

Appendix

  Definitions of key energy efficiency terms
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Pérez-Lombard, L., Ortiz, J. & Velázquez, D. Revisiting energy efficiency fundamentals. Energy Efficiency 6, 239–254 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-012-9180-8

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