Energy Demand Reduction

Abstract:

The UK is facing an energy crisis on three fronts: climate change, energy security, and affordability. Energy demand reduction is fundamental to improving the UK’s performance on all three. Research has shown that reducing energy use could meet half of the required greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed by 2050 for the UK to become a Net Zero society (EDRC, 2023). Lower energy demand reduces the scale of energy supply decarbonisation needed, and is essential if the UK is to meet its carbon emission reduction goals. By 2050 we have the potential to halve our energy demand in transport, housing and nutrition (CREDS, 2022). All the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) ‘Future Energy Scenarios’ expect substantial energy savings through demand reductions by 2050 (NESO, 2024). The ability to control energy demand is also viewed as a key component of enabling flexibility in the energy system, something that will become increasingly important as more intermittent renewable energy supplies are installed (EDRC, 2024). Some academics have noted that a disproportionate amount of focus, funding and effort is placed on supply side solutions to energy decarbonisation, and that rebalancing this effort is therefore essential. Reducing energy demand is not, however, without its challenges, and the different solutions for doing so vary between sectors. To effectively enact demand reductions, efforts and coordination would be needed from government, utility companies, NGOs and others.

Publication Year:

2024

Publisher:

UKERC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000991

Author(s):

Colechin, K. and Colechin, M.