Revisiting energy efficiency
Review article, 2026
In this Vignette, leading experts advocate for a resurgence of interest in energy efficiency, placing a renewed emphasis on its strategic importance within energy transitions. In the current context of geopolitical instability, efficiency assumes heightened urgency as a rapid, cost-effective means to reduce exposure to energy price shocks and enhance energy security. By lowering demand, increasing system flexibility, and supporting more resilient and diversified energy systems, energy efficiency is a critical ‘first fuel’ in managing both short-term disruptions and long-term transitions. Energy efficiency has the potential to push transformative change through dynamic and systems-oriented strategies across research, policy, and practice. Such strategies must embed efficiency within broader societal goals—encompassing planetary boundaries and wellbeing—while ensuring that measures deliver synergies including energy security, public health, affordability, competitiveness, and responsible growth. New experiments and scenarios are needed to advance knowledge on potential efficiency pathways. Participatory methods in relation to energy poverty, justice, and sufficiency can help ensure its central role remains legitimate, accountable, and socially grounded. Alongside these societal dimensions, sections of the Vignette also emphasize new potentials enabled through greater electrification, artificial intelligence, and material resource management while recognizing associated rebound effects or efficiency-induced growth. Energy efficiency provides critical buffering against systemic disruptions in future societal transitions. Strategic policy interventions and financing mechanisms are required to align efficiency with both energy-system goals and wider societal objectives to foster enhanced resilience and wellbeing within ecological limits.
policy
efficiency
energy
wellbeing
transitions
resources
Author
Lena Neij
Environmental and Energy Sciences
Lund University
Charlie Wilson
University of Oxford
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Kathleen Araújo
Boise State University
Nuno Bento
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL)
Frederic Berger
Utrecht University
Paolo Bertoldi
European Commission (EC)
Benigna Boza-Kiss
GreenDependent Institute
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Jean Sébastien Broc
Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy (IEECP)
Nick Eyre
University of Oxford
Tina Fawcett
University of Oxford
Chiara Fusar Bassini
Hertie School
Arnulf Grübler
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Montanuniversität Leoben
Daniel Guzzo
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Edgar Hertwich
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Nicholas Howarth
International Energy Agency
Lynn Kaack
Hertie School
Tim Mandel
Fraunhofer Society
Jihoon Min
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Sascha Nick
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Bryony Parrish
University of Oxford
Martin J. Pasqualetti
Arizona State University
Daniela Pigosso
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
J. Portugal-Pereira
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Instituto Superior Tecnico
Joyashree Roy
Asian Institute of Technology
Simon De Stercke
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Stefan Thomas
Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy
Diana Ürge-Vorsat
Central European University
Christine Wörlen
Arepo GmbH
Caroline Zimm
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Oxford Open Energy
27525082 (eISSN)
Vol. 5 oiag012Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Energy Systems
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
DOI
10.1093/ooenergy/oiag012