Energy consumption in the EU is growing and this has significant environmental impacts. Even though European countries have adopted numerous measures to curb energy consumption and associated carbon-dioxide emissions, the electricity consumption in the residential sector of the EU-25 grew at a rate comparable to overall GDP (10.8 percent) between 1999 and 2004, effectively cancelling any savings made. During this time electricity consumption levels in the service sector also increased by 15.8 per cent, and industry consumption by 9.5 per cent.
The average consumption for a single household in the EU-25 was 4,098 kWh in 2004. This could be reduced by 800 kWh per house per year - or about 20 per cent less electricity consumption in each household - if the existing inefficient appliances and equipment were replaced and a full phase out of incandescent lighting was actively promoted across all Member States.
Over the last decade the EU has adopted a range of measures - in the form of labelling, minimum-efficiency requirements, voluntary agreements, incentives and saving obligations - to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon dioxide emissions. The EU Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme is the largest multi-country, multi-sector greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme worldwide.
In November 2006, the EU presented an action plan on energy efficiency with the goal of consuming 20 per cent less energy in 2020 than today's levels. Sixty measures are set out by this action plan which will address many of the problems caused by poor levels of energy efficiency.
The rising demand for electricity across Europe is associated with many different aspects. For example, the broad use of traditional appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioners and computers continues to rise, and new technologies and products such as DVD players, set-top boxes and equipment associated with broadband access grows. Other contributing factors are the increased number of double or triple appliances - generally televisions and refrigerators or freezers - and changing population dynamics which have seen a rise in single family households and larger homes.
Some of the solutions to this increasing demand are simple - some are highly complex. However, new technology developments do make it possible for designers and manufacturers to produce equipment with lower energy consumption and very low stand-by losses. It is not always possible to assume that newer, more efficient technology will replace the older inefficient products which they update. Often the older products are transferred to other parts of the home, increasing the overall household energy consumption.
Homes in the UK are one of the leading causes of carbon dioxide emissions, making up around 28% of the national total and putting homes on a par with industry emissions. According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), every household in the UK creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide every year - equivalent to the weight of an African bull elephant. If simple steps were taken by households to conserve energy, they could reduce carbon emissions by around two tonnes per house each year, saving over £200 in annual energy bills.
The pace of change of policy and legislation surrounding energy use and regulation, the energy efficiency of products and buildings, the development of low-carbon technologies and the rise of ecodesign requirements has accelerated over the last few years. Designers and manufacturers of such product and goods, and the consumers and end-users they seek to please, are faced with a raft of legislation, information and incentives to change their environmental behaviour.
Public pressure for more efficient products or devices, manufactured in a more environmentally-friendly way will have a major influence on the uptake of new efficient technologies. This report discusses many of the key legislative and policy drivers, and identifies what support is available to help companies respond to the shifting agenda.
Andrea Cook, Ben Marsden & Andrew Ong
Pera