WEC Inside 

   

1–15 April 2014 

Welcome to WEC Inside, your exclusive briefing from your WEC network

News 

The WEC recently presented its new report, “World Energy Perspective: Energy Efficiency Technolo-gies”, to a roundtable of experts and decision-makers at the 1st Energy Efficiency Workshop on 1 April in Paris organised by the International Chamber of Commerce.

Dr Klaus Willnow, who leads the work for the WEC, highlighted the report’s findings with regards to the implementation and application of energy efficiency technologies in two discussion rounds on financing and investment.

The WEC report reviews the current patterns of energy use across the energy value chain. This includes exploration, extraction and transport of primary energy, its transformation, transport and distribution, and final consumption. (See below.)

Findings of the report were presented to partici-pants at the roundtable which included representa-tives from Deutsche Bank, Climate Policy Initiative, the Global Green Growth Forum, and the Interna-tional Energy Agency, among others.

Dr Willnow said the report had positive feed-back from participants. “Our approach to talk about the technical and economic as well as the realisa-

Energy Efficiency Technologies report presented at Paris event

ble potential along the energy chain is well re-ceived,” he said. “Specifically our focus with detailed analysis on individual sectors and branches was most welcome as we need a much more concrete way forward. For this it is essential to get data and information about the potentials and the barriers in each sector or application field.”

He added that the WEC report will contribute to a “constructive dialogue” within the sector on energy efficiency. “In this respect we should develop our work further.” Dr Willnow will now take the study to its next level by stepping up the involvement of WEC member committees in the work as part of World Energy Resources.

1–15 April 2014 WEC Inside 1

What do you aim to achieve with this study?

The discussion about energy efficiency is not new. Many technologies with high efficiency exist al-ready. The main question is: why don’t we see them widely applied? With our report we address the technical potential but also the economic and the realisable potential which in many cases hin-ders the implementation of energy-efficient tech-nologies. This perspective should help to identify barriers but also drivers for the successful intro-duction and use of energy-efficient technologies.

How does the work add to our knowledge about energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency technologies cover the whole energy chain, from the exploration of fossil fuels, to power generation and transmission, to the end-use of energy. With deep dives into individual sectors of the energy chain we contribute to the existing repertoire of WEC reports, specifically the World Energy Resources.

We have addressed the huge technical poten-tial of energy-efficient technologies, for example in the power generation sector. Compared to the

Interview 

using insulation, automation, and heating and cool-ing. We also need a shift from the Capex-driven perspective to the full life-cycle perspective to get a true picture of the costs versus the benefits.

How do you see the study to evolve in future?

We started our work with deep-dives in some sec-tors of the energy chain such as buildings and com-munities, certain technologies in the industry sector and thermal power plants. We will continue the work by addressing further sectors.

How important is it for WEC member committees to take part?

We rely on the expertise of our members. With their experience in developing new technologies and in operation we have a wide basis in our Knowledge Networks and our committees. ■ ■ “World Energy Perspective: Energy Efficiency Technologies” is available for download on www.worldenergy.org/publications

The WEC has launched the initial findings of a report on Energy Efficiency Technologies to its members. Klaus Willnow, who leads this study for the WEC, tells members about the opportunity in taking part in future phases of this work.

News continued on page 2 ...

The new WEC report is one of two studies that have produced from the WEC Knowledge Network on Energy Efficiency. The other study, “World Ener-gy Perspective: Energy Efficiency Policies”, re-leased last October at the World Energy Congress, has revealed a slowdown in energy efficiency de-spite growing government involvement. ■ ■ The new report can be downloaded here. ■ Further info and the presentation slides on the work can be obtained by contacting Elena Nekhaev (nekhaev@worldenergy.org).

world average electrical efficiency of 34% for the existing coal-based power plant fleet, we can achieve with best-available technology today an electrical efficiency of 46%.

The report also considers the economics of technologies in the specific application field. This gives the reader a better understanding and more insights about different industries. In addressing system efficiency such as solutions for communi-ties (urban infrastructures, public buildings) the report shows how an overall system could benefit from individual technologies. It gives indications for policymakers what impact certain measures might have, such as awareness of efficient lighting on energy saving and profitability. Showcasing what is already available and what could be done is a valuable contribution to the WEC’s work.

What are the study’s key findings?

We find that many technologies exist already to increase energy efficiency in individual applications and in whole systems.

In our study we conclude that a complete sys-tem analysis is in many cases required to leverage the full potential, for energy efficiency of buildings,

Klaus Willnow is Leader of the technologies part of the WEC Knowledge Network on Energy Efficiency.

Your voice for SE4ALL Forum

The UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)initiative will be holding its first annual SE4ALL Forum on 4–6 June in New York. As part of the WEC’s ongoing engagement with the initiative , WEC members are invited to submit their ideas and interest in participation. More info will be available from the week of 14 April on the SE4ALL website www.se4all.org Members inter-ested in taking part should notify Stuart Neil (neil@worldenergy.org) and Florence Mazzone (mazzon@worldenergy.org). More info to follow in a future edition of WEC Inside. ■