A New Strategy? The Role of Energy Sufficiency in Decarbonisation

By Hamza Gurdic

Introducing the concept of energy sufficiency

In the wake of the Paris Agreement, net zero ambitions have led to an acceleration in the uptake of decarbonisation strategies globally, including increasing renewable energy capacities and reducing the share of fossil fuels, as well as focusing on efficiency in both energy production and consumption. In addition to energy efficiency, the concept of sufficiency has been increasingly discussed in recent years as a possible decarbonisation strategy. The existing literature offers numerous definitions of energy sufficiency, but a consensus is yet to be determined. Some experts define it as a “strategy of achieving absolute reductions of the amount of energy-based services consumed” (Zell-Ziegler et al., 2021. p. 2) while others suggest that “energy sufficiency is a state in which people’s basic needs for energy services are met equitably and ecological limits are respected” (Darby & Fawcett, 2018. p. 8). Most definitions in essence rely on achieving energy consumption reduction through behaviour changes (Leuser & Pellerin-Carlin, 2022).

Energy sufficiency also aims to improve human well-being while taking planetary boundaries into consideration. Deciding on what level of consumption is sufficient is a challenging task that could be approached by establishing minimum and maximum thresholds of “enough” (Spengler, 2016). The lower limit of sufficiency suggests that each individual has at least enough to meet basic needs, while the upper limit seeks to put a ceiling on consumption taking environmental and other impacts into consideration. Spengler concludes that implementing the two thresholds could provide a coherent framework for justice and burden sharing. However, while establishing a sufficiency minimum would likely be widely accepted in society, instituting a maximum could be upsetting for individuals who must give up on excess consumption (Spengler, 2016).

Dilemmas behind the application of energy sufficiency

In the following section, the rationale for sufficiency will be explored with examining co-benefits that the integration of the concept could bring, while bearing in mind its limitations. To ensure future needs of humanity sustainably while respecting planetary boundaries, decarbonisation strategies that aid mitigating climate change while supporting resource conservation and biodiversity protection are crucial. Wiese et al. (2022) compiled numerous emission abatement options for policymakers to choose from, considering demand-side (efficiency and electrification with use of renewable energy), supply-side (expansion of renewable generation including nuclear energy, and expansion of synthetic energy carriers such as hydrogen) or direct GHG removal options (negative emission technologies that remove GHG from the atmosphere and nature-based solutions such as afforestation).

Sufficiency is mostly linked to demand side solutions with the goal of reducing energy service demand, which could relieve the pressure off costly abatement technologies which are energy and resource intensive, along with synthetic fuels and hydrogen, which require land area and resources for production and infrastructure for transportation (Best et al., 2022). In contrast to other climate change mitigation tools, sufficiency does not come with environmental sustainability issues, such as risk of environmental contamination as in the case of nuclear, or land and resource intensity as in renewable energy capacity additions and GHG removal technologies.

Besides environmental benefits, sufficiency can also lead to positive effects on individual health if co-benefits are integrated into policy planning. For instance, remote work could contribute to eliminating local air pollution due to decreased transportation needs and could yield work-related benefits at the same time. Working from home also promotes autonomy, increases productivity, and helps with saving time (more time for family, friends, and oneself) and costs due to the eliminated need for transportation. Sufficiency is fast and cost-effective, because most of the related measures do not require investment or specific infrastructure, thus implementation is swift and demand-side measures cost less per GHG reductions compared to technologies like carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) (Best et al., 2022).

As Figure 1 suggests, sufficiency is more than a strategy to combat climate change, as it encompasses various sectors and areas of life. Taking an interdisciplinary approach is required to enhance climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection, improved public health and well-being. Applying sufficiency measures could be decisive to reach net zero goals keeping a sustainable level of resource use given its quick implementation potential and associated cost savings. Policies that promote energy sufficiency can bring a decrease in consumption coupled with the reduction of health-threatening components (e.g. air pollution, noise, and stress). Furthermore, aiming for staying between the two thresholds of “enough” sufficiency supports equity and restricts overconsumption, with contributing to distributional justice over time. Unlocking the full potential of sufficiency is possible if the concept is applied as a core organising principle of society in which planetary boundaries are respected while the level of economic well-being is elevated. (Wiese et al., 2022)

Figure 1. Potential benefits considering minimum and maximum levels of sufficiency (Wiese et al., 2022. p. 14)

The energy crisis highlighted the need for substantially reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels, especially natural gas. Short term energy sufficiency measures could help ensuring energy security through various demand reduction actions, such as lowering thermostat temperatures, reducing boiler temperatures (or replacing them by heat pumps) given that 35% of gas is consumed in households and businesses for heating and water warming purposes in the EU (Leuser & Pellerin-Carlin, 2022). Reducing electricity demand with opting for cooler washing temperatures and alternative drying options and reducing air conditioning demand is also a key lever to decrease electricity generation, where 31% is produced from burning natural gas (Leuser & Pellerin-Carlin, 2022). Demand reduction efforts could save 13 bcm of gas imports in the EU, highlighting another benefit of sufficiency (European Commission, 2022).

Energy sufficiency, as discussed above, offers many co-benefits, but there are certain limitations and possible negative impacts that policymakers need to consider when applying the concept. The most cited one is the rebound effect, which is characterised as a direct or indirect behavioural response to improved conditions which neutralises the potential energy and emission savings made possible by energy efficiency. For instance, setting a higher room temperature after insulation works relative to previous temperatures (direct effect), or spending the cost savings on other goods and services that might be more energy-intensive and account for more GHG emissions (indirect effect). Sufficiency measures are associated with indirect rebound effects due to associated cost savings spendings. Experts highlight that these effects are the lowest in electricity use and heating, while higher in transport fuels and the highest in food products (Sorell et al., 2018). Consequently, individual voluntary choices must be made across multiple domains simultaneously, focusing on reducing the demand for high energy and emission impact goods and services. This could include decreased meat consumption, reduced car use, as well as minimised air travel (Sorell et al., 2020).

A sectoral analysis of European energy sufficiency developments

Energy sufficiency has substantial potential to complement decarbonisation policies and could account for a 28% cut in final energy use by 2050 relative to 2015 (Association négaWatt, 2018). Based on EU Member States’ national Long-Term Strategies (LTS) for 2050 and National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) short-term roadmaps for 2030, Figure 2 summarises European energy sufficiency developments in various sectors. Notably, measures related to the transport/mobility sector are dominantly seeking substitution as a solution for achieving sufficiency and the reduction of services account for a lesser share. Substitution measures include modal shifting road traffic to public transport and switching from conventional fossil fuels to alternative fuels/e-mobility. To support sufficiency, transport-related fiscal instruments are mostly used to establish the infrastructure (e.g. rail and cycling) to endorse and facilitate modal shifts (Ziegler et al., 2021).

The production and consumption sector operates with less instruments compared to transportation, advocating the circular economy, through diverse means focusing on forests, waste, raw materials, and resources. Sufficiency is aimed to be achieved by promoting business models for sharing and product longevity, thus evading the need to produce and consume more, which would bring excess emissions and increased waste (Ziegler et al., 2021). Although the building sector is an important sector in decarbonisation strategies, very few sufficiency policies are mentioned in EU Member States’ LTS and NECP documents. This is explained by the states’ more direct focus on the transport infrastructures compared to the private buildings, hence the discrepancies between the two sectors (Ziegler et al., 2021).

Figure 2. The number of sufficiency measures by sector and instrument type (Ziegler et al., 2021. p. 8)

Transportation is an adequate sector to illustrate European developments that aid reaping the co-benefits of energy sufficiency. Changes in rules of transportation, such as lowering speed limits on national roads or highways lead to increased road safety and local air pollution reduction while supporting energy sufficiency. Estimations show that reducing the speed limit from 130 to 110 km/h could cut a quarter of fuel use and could decrease fuel expenses (Association négaWatt, 2018). Some EU countries (e.g. France, Belgium) have introduced such decreases but there are also exceptions. For instance, Germany does not regulate speed on highways which could be considered as a missed opportunity looking at the possible benefits.

Apart from implementing hard rules like speed limitations in transport, nudging individuals to change their lifestyles is also crucial to accelerate energy sufficiency. However, this could be challenging for policymakers as some proposals might evoke dissatisfaction among the members of society. Nevertheless, with the changing discussion about sustainability and the growing number of people becoming familiar with sustainable consumption and the increasing pressure of climate change, individuals become less inclined to oppose changing their lifestyles. For instance, a barometer in France found that willingness is high to change heating and lighting habits to reduce consumption with 53% and 63% respectively, as well as purchasing goods and food (89% prefers seasonal products). However, willingness remains low in transport considering modal shifts to sustainable solutions because individuals still prefer car use (either for personal or sharing purposes) to public transport. Furthermore, 59% of responders said that they would not use electric vehicles (Agence de la transition écologique [ADEME], 2021). Such barometers provide useful conclusions that could steer policymakers towards the issue clusters that are highly accepted, and guide further work on improving the attitudes towards more controversial topics.

Conclusion

Energy sufficiency has been receiving growing attention as a strategy for decarbonisation, but the concept has seen modest levels of applications in practice, even though sufficiency measures offer numerous advantages. These co-benefits include environmental sustainability, positive impacts on individual health, cost savings, and equity, as well as energy security which is again at the forefront of global energy discussions. In Europe, most sufficiency measures are linked to transportation/mobility, which is a promising beginning considering the sector’s high reliance on fossil fuels and the fact that transport represents almost a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions. However, challenges remain regarding energy sufficiency implementation in buildings, production, and consumption. To stimulate change in these other relatively important sectors, providing individuals with convincing arguments based on transparent and abundant information is vital to nudge consumer habits in a more sustainable direction. Furthermore, conducting surveys regularly could help to analyse and to better understand the opinions formed on various topics and to tailor policy responses accordingly. Policymakers will also have to work on a framework that establishes minimum and maximum thresholds for sufficiency taking the possible controversies associated with behavioural change into consideration, as well as avoiding rebound effects which could lead to growing energy intensity and increased GHG emissions. Overall, energy sufficiency has a considerable potential in helping reaching net zero goals complementing energy efficiency and renewable energies.

References

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