scholarly journals The Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Policies in the Building Sector: A Regional Analysis Based on the Stochastic Frontier Approach and on the Energy Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and Policy Implications

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 422-432
Author(s):  
Pietro Falconi
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
High Potential ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Energy Efficiency Policies ◽  
Civil Sector

The promotion of the Energy Efficiency is one of the priorities of EU energy policy to fight the Climate Change and make Europe climate neutral by 2050 (EC 2020). The civil sector offers high potential for energy efficiency improvement and the buildings are responsible for about 40% of the EU's energy consumption, and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions (EC 2020). In Italy the civil sector (residential and tertiary together), are responsible for approximately 45% of final energy consumption and 17.5% of Italy's CO2 emissions, has a potential in reducing energy consumption of approximately 5,7 Mtoe compared to the base scenario in 2030. The core research question is: “Are national and local energy efficiency policies effective in reducing aggregate energy consumption at regional level in the civil sector?” From the policy maker’s point of view, it is important to understand the effectiveness of the policy instruments introduced to promote energy efficiency. The research framework is based on the frontier analysis and its main objective is to econometrically estimate for the period 2010 to 2017 the energy efficiency level for the civil sector in the Italy regions. The estimates confirm the effectiveness of policy instruments, represented by tax deductions and economic incentives, in creating high potential for energy savings from reduced inefficiency in the civil sector.

scholarly journals How to Effectively Control Energy Consumption Growth in China’s 29 Provinces: A Paradigm of Multi-Regional Analysis Based on EAALMDI Method

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1093
Author(s):  
Yunlong Zhao ◽  
Geng Kong ◽  
Chin Hao Chong ◽  
Linwei Ma ◽  
Zheng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Consumption Growth ◽  
High Resolution Analysis ◽  
Resolution Analysis ◽  
Consumption Control

Controlling energy consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has become a global consensus in response to the challenge of climate change. Most studies have focused on energy consumption control in a single region; however, high-resolution analysis of energy consumption and personalized energy policy-making, for multiple regions with differentiated development, have become a complicated challenge. Using the logarithmic mean Divisia index I (LMDI) decomposition method based on energy allocation analysis (EAA), this paper aims to establish a standard paradigm for a high-resolution analysis of multi-regional energy consumption and provide suggestions for energy policy-making, taking 29 provinces of China as the sample. The process involved three steps: (1) determination of regional priorities of energy consumption control by EAA, (2) revealing regional disparity among the driving forces of energy consumption growth by LMDI, and (3) deriving policy implications by comparing the obtained results with existing policies. The results indicated that 29 provinces can be divided into four groups, with different priorities of energy consumption control according to the patterns of coal flows. Most provinces have increasing levels of energy consumption, driven by increasing per capita GDP and improving living standards, while its growth is restrained by decreasing end-use energy intensity, improving energy supply efficiency, and optimization of industrial structures. However, some provinces are not following these trends to the same degree. This indicates that policy-makers must pay more attention to the different driving mechanisms of energy consumption growth among provinces.

scholarly journals Total Factor Energy Efficiency, Carbon Emission Efficiency, and Technology Gap: Evidence from Sub-Industries of Anhui Province in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya Chen ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Qian Zhou ◽  
Zhixiang Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Light Industry ◽  
Heavy Industry ◽  
Technology Gap ◽  
Emission Efficiency

The phenomena of “large energy consumption, high carbon emission, and serious environmental pollution” are against the goals of “low energy consumption, low emissions” in China’s industrial sector. The key to solving the problem lies in improving total factor energy efficiency (TFEE) and carbon emission efficiency (TFCE). Considering the heterogeneity of different sub-industries, this paper proposes a three-stage global meta-frontier slacks-based measure (GMSBM) method for measuring TFEE and TFCE, as well as the technology gap by combining meta-frontier technology with slacks-based measure (SBM) using data envelopment analysis (DEA). DEA can effectively avoid the situation where the technology gap ratio (TGR) is larger than unity. This paper uses the three-stage method to empirically analyze TFEE and TFCE of Anhui’s 38 industrial sub-industries in China from 2012 to 2016. The main findings are as follows: (1) Anhui’s industrial sector has low TFEE and TFCE, which has great potential for improvement. (2) TFEE and TFCE of light industry are lower than those of heavy industry under group-frontier, while they are higher than those of heavy industry under meta-frontier. There is a big gap in TFEE and TFCE among sub-industries of light industry. Narrowing the gap among different sub-industries of light industry is conducive to the overall improvement in TFEE and TFCE. (3) The TGR of light industry is significantly higher than that of heavy industry, indicating that there are sub-industries with the most advanced energy use and carbon emission technologies in light industry. And there is a bigger carbon-emitting technology gap in heavy industry, so it needs to encourage technology spillover from light industry to heavy industry. (4) The total performance loss of industrial sub-industries in Anhui mainly comes from management inefficiency, so it is necessary to improve management and operational ability. Based on the findings, some policy implications are proposed.

scholarly journals What Affects the Progress and Transformation of New Residential Building Energy Efficiency Promotion in China: Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinan Li ◽  
Neng Zhu ◽  
Beibei Qin
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Building Energy Efficiency ◽  
Governance Arrangement ◽  
Market Needs ◽  
Research Assumptions

Nationwide energy efficiency (EE) promotion of new residential buildings is affected by multiple factors regarding policies, markets, technologies, capacities, and economics. The perceived influences of these factors by stakeholders are crucial to the effectiveness evaluation of current policies and the selection of policy instruments. However, they are normally assumed or taken for granted. The knowledge gap between stakeholders’ perceptions and research assumptions may lead to researchers’ recognition bias. Correspondingly, this paper aims to identify the significant factors, perceived by frontline stakeholders, influencing nationwide EE promotion of new residential buildings before 2020 and 2030. Factors were collected through literature review and their influence were evaluated via Analytical Hierarchy Process based on the data collected in the questionnaires distributed to 32 institutes. The theory of Nested Policy Design Framework and Policy Environment was used to structure the hierarchy and generate policy implications. Results indicate that (1) policy factors are of the greatest influence before 2020 and market perfection factors will have great influences from 2020 to 2030, indicating the transformation of governance arrangement to “market-based” and “network-based” from the current legal-based system; and (2) factors regarding market needs are of significant influence in both terms, revealing the way the transformation should be accomplished.

A Comparison of Focus and Effectiveness of European Versus U.S. Energy Efficiency Programs for Buildings

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Reichard ◽  
Suchismita Bhattacharjee
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Policies And Measures ◽  
Program Transfer ◽  
Energy Efficiency Policies ◽  
Comparison Of Effectiveness

The authors present a comparative study on effectiveness of energy policies for the building sector that are presently implemented in selected countries in Europe versus selected states in the U.S. Socio-economic factors affecting energy consumption on both sides of the Atlantic are identified from a human behavior perspective. Various identified factors known to affect energy efficiency and consumption have been positioned in diagrams based on four primary directions: lifestyle, economy, environment, and technology. In a second step various programs and incentives are positioned in the same diagram to demonstrate how well these strategies address the factors identified before. This is done for selected countries and continents in sub-diagrams to allow a comparison of effectiveness and provide a tool for predicting the effectiveness of a possible policy or program transfer to other nations. The research conducted so far suggests that energy efficiency policies and measures implemented in the United States do not always target the factors that have been identified to most significantly influence energy consumption. The results indicate that there might be a significant gap between parameters that are guiding factors affecting energy consumption, and parameters targeting a proper implementation of energy efficient policies. The authors strive to provide a tool that will help policy makers and other decision makers to evaluate and compare their incentives and programs against those from other countries and benefit from lessons learned by mapping various policies towards specific efficiency parameters.

scholarly journals Driving Innovation through Energy Efficiency: A Russian Regional Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4810
Author(s):  
Alexander Melnik ◽  
Irina Naoumova ◽  
Kirill Ermolaev ◽  
Jerome Katrichis
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
International Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
A Company ◽  
Reducing Energy

Recent literature on energy efficiency focuses on the issues of energy security and options for reducing energy consumption. Measuring energy efficiency properly and forecasting future needs is critical to the energy policies of any country, especially given the importance of sustainability in their economic development. The role innovation plays in improving energy efficiency is well researched. There is a gap in examining an opposite relationship. That is, where energy efficiency becomes a critical factor for fueling innovation. This impact can occur within a company, a region, a nation or on an international level. Here we show that regions could motivate business innovations through policies requiring energy efficiency. Based on observations from a number of regions of an emerging economy, we show that energy efficiency impacts innovation. As a side effect it can contribute to export increases, which in turn can improve regional attractiveness for investors. We believe that the spiral development of the relationship between energy efficiency and innovation used as a strategy could become sustainable.

Improvement of enzymatic digestibility of wood by a sequence of optimized milling procedures with final vibratory tube mills for the amorphization of cellulose

Holzforschung ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 435-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinwu Wang ◽  
Johnway Gao ◽  
Kristin L. Brandt ◽  
Jinxue Jiang ◽  
Yalan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Enzymatic Hydrolysis ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Milling Process ◽  
High Potential ◽  
Tube Mill ◽  
Wood Cellulose ◽  
Enzymatic Digestibility ◽  
Total Energy Consumption

AbstractA three-stage wood milling process was investigated leading to coarse, fine and amorphization of milled wood (MW) as a pretreatment for enzymatic wood hydrolysis. An eccentric vibratory tube mill (EVTM) and a spring suspended vibratory tube mill (SSVTM) were found to be suitable for wood cellulose amorphization. Both methods gave rise to highly digestible and amorphous wood powders amenable to enzymatic hydrolysis. The SSVTM had superior energy efficiency. The resulting MW afforded a 70% sugar yield via enzymatic hydrolysis and the total energy consumption was around 1.5 kWh kg−1oven-dried wood (odW) for all three milling stages. In contrast, EVTM consumed 17 kWh kg−1odW energy. Accordingly, SSVTM has a high potential for preparing wood for enzymatic hydrolysis.

scholarly journals A Microeconomic Methodology to Evaluate Energy Efficiency by Consumption Behaviors and Strategies to Improve Energy Efficiency

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zixia Xiang ◽  
Yanhong Yin ◽  
Yuanwen He
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Public Transport ◽  
Minimum Energy ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Constant Elasticity ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Composite Goods

The present paper highlights a quantitative method to maximize energy efficiency based on the minimum energy consumption and maximum quality of life from consumption behaviors. Quality of life is expressed by utility, which is a Constant Elasticity of Substitution (CES) function of demands for composite goods, car trips and public transport trips. Individual energy consumption is estimated by the demand of goods and we applied this method to Nagasaki to evaluate energy efficiency. Our results showed that 28,154 kcal of energy is needed to support the life of one individual per day in Nagasaki. Furthermore, we found that 76% of energy was used for composite goods and 24% was used for mobility goods. To achieve maximum energy efficiency, our results highlight that energy should be reduced by increasing the consumption of composite goods and public transport trips, while simultaneously decreasing the consumption of car trips. Compared to residents in urban and suburban areas, individuals in Central Business Districts (CBD) were found to have higher energy efficiency. Findings in Nagasaki suggest three policy implications: First, eco-energy consumption patterns should be encouraged to decrease energy use, while maintaining quality of life. Second, mixed land use is attributed to increased energy efficiency. Lastly, the energy efficiency of mobility could be improved though increasing the attraction of public transport.

Energy Efficiency Policies in Some of the European Countries

2016 ◽  
pp. 100-131
Author(s):  
Savaş Çevik ◽  
M. Mustafa Erdoğdu ◽  
Fatma Turna
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Energy Efficiency Policy ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
Energy Efficiency Policies ◽  
The Impact

This chapter deals with the instruments and policies to achieve energy efficiency in some of the European Union (EU) member states. The main aim of the study is to search for any efficient combination of policy instruments in the EU. The analysis is based on a unique database, derived out of the MURE project, related to energy efficiency policy measures in 28 EU countries and Norway. The study first describes and evaluates the main purposes and instruments of energy efficiency policies. Then, it classifies the measures applied to promote energy efficiency in sample countries by sectors and examines the impact level of different policy packages on energy efficiency.

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