Energy efficiency

Increasing energy efficiency promotes climate protection and contributes to cost savings and resource conservation.

The expansion of renewable energies and increasing energy efficiency are the most important factors in the fight against climate change. Without these measures, the internationally agreed goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius cannot be achieved. But energy efficiency is not only a priority for reasons of climate protection. It also conserves resources, reduces pollution and noise, promotes security of supply and saves money. Everyone benefits from this: users, communities and states. For states, the efficiency measures are a major contribution to compliance with their national climate protection obligations (NDCs). In addition, the international community has set itself the goal of providing all people with the necessary energy. In view of population growth, the demand for efficient energy use is becoming increasingly urgent.

On behalf of the German Federal Government, GIZ advises partners such as national authorities, which create framework conditions for energy efficiency in all sectors and want to apply efficiency standards. GIZ also trains architects, engineers, technicians and civil servants in this field.

Efficiency increases are particularly effective in those sectors where energy demand is highest worldwide: buildings (40 percent), transport (25 percent) and industry (35 percent).

Buildings

This is where the greatest savings potential lies in the future. According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), 85 percent of the buildings that will stand in 2050 have not yet been built. If architecture is planned climate-friendly right from the start, drastic energy savings in heating and cooling can be achieved without additional costs.

The use of local building materials and technologies reduces the energy requirements of buildings and improves their ecological balance. Further savings can be achieved through energy-efficient technologies such as LED lamps.

Transport

The aim here is to reduce fuel consumption per transport. This can be achieved through technical improvements, but above all the volume of traffic must be reduced. What is needed here above all is urban planning, which must combine living, working and leisure activities in neighbourhoods so that long distances become superfluous. There must be incentives that motivate many people to switch from cars to public transport or bicycles.

Industry

In many industries, energy saving opportunities have not yet been exhausted: waste heat recovery, more efficient production facilities, heat and steam generation including distribution networks, electric motors and compressed air networks are promising improvements.