Revisiting energy efficiency
Reviewartikel, 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
Författare
Lena Neij
Miljö- och energivetenskaper
Lunds universitet
Charlie Wilson
University of Oxford
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
Kathleen Araújo
Boise State University
Nuno Bento
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL)
Frederic Berger
Universiteit Utrecht
Paolo Bertoldi
Europeiska kommissionen (EU)
Benigna Boza-Kiss
GreenDependent Institute
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
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
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
Montanuniversität Leoben
Daniel Guzzo
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU)
Edgar Hertwich
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Nicholas Howarth
International Energy Agency
Lynn Kaack
Hertie School
Tim Mandel
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Jihoon Min
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
Sascha Nick
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Bryony Parrish
University of Oxford
Martin J. Pasqualetti
Arizona State University
Daniela Pigosso
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU)
J. Portugal-Pereira
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Instituto Superior Tecnico
Joyashree Roy
Asian Institute of Technology
Simon De Stercke
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
Stefan Thomas
Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie
Diana Ürge-Vorsat
Közép-Európai Egyetem
Christine Wörlen
Arepo GmbH
Caroline Zimm
Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
Oxford Open Energy
27525082 (eISSN)
Vol. 5 oiag012Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Energisystem
Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap
DOI
10.1093/ooenergy/oiag012