Energy Conservation

Abstract

Global energy demand is projected to rise nearly 50% by 2040 (US EIA 2019). At the same time, emissions from continued use of fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, are causing unprecedented changes in climate patterns, leading to demonstrated physical, social, and financial risks to humans and the environment with more frequent and increasingly extreme weather events such as heat waves, intense storm systems, related natural disasters, and changes in ecology. The need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels is widely acknowledged, as indicated by the fact that nearly 200 countries have now signed the Paris Climate Agreement, pledging to limit rise in global emissions to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid catastrophic and irreversible climate change (UNFCCC 2015). While there has been significant advancement in research, development, and implementation of renewable energy technologies, these sources are not yet at scale to meet global energy demand. Strategies to conserve energy are therefore needed in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect human and environmental health. This chapter presents the argument for energy conservation in order to reduce fossil fuel extraction and consumption as improving efficiency alone is not sufficient to meet climate goals and energy supply needs. The discussion includes strategies that target individual or household behaviors to reduce or eliminate use of energy, such as turning off lights when not in use or choosing to walk rather than drive, but also ways to increase efficiency, such as replacing lightbulbs or appliances with models that use lower levels of energy, and on a larger scale, improved building design and rethinking urban planning and transportation systems. International bodies and national governments drive change by establishing policy and providing incentives to manage energy development and control consumption. At the household and local level, consumption can be targeted by behavioral change and adoption of technologies in homes and businesses to monitor and manage energy. This chapter discusses strategies at multiple scales but emphasizes community-based solutions that can play an important role in reducing consumption and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon energy system while enhancing community well-being, protection of human rights, and promotion of energy justice and equity.