Role of Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Energy for All: Exploring the synergies with renewable energy and energy access

The global initiative Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) aims to ensure the global transition towards more sustainable energy services by 2030 through achievement of three interlinked objectives: 1) to ensure the universal access to modern energy services; 2) to double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and 3) to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Very often energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy are considered to be separate areas of the policy and technological development with quite isolated policy frameworks, stakeholders involvement processes and implementation efforts.

This paper investigates potential synergies between these areas through the framework and global indicators of SEforALL by means of the integrated assessment model ETSAP-TIAM and development of several scenarios for the period between 2010 and 2030.

The results demonstrate significant synergies between the outlined SEforALL objectives and their importance for ensuring sustainable energy future at the global level, as well as mitigation of the climate change impacts and global temperature rise. This calls for uniting efforts across these three areas of sustainable energy and elaboration of more holistic approaches to policy and technology development.