European Futures for Energy Efficiency

Project Information

EUFORIE

Grant agreement ID: 649342

DOI

10.3030/649342

Project closed

EC signature date 5 February 2015

Start date 1 March 2015

End date 30 November 2018

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 1 092 500,00

EU contribution

€ 1 092 500,00

Coordinated by

TURUN YLIOPISTO
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EUFORIE (European Futures for Energy Efficiency)

Reporting period: 2017-09-01 to 2018-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

EUFORIE studies energy efficiency from different perspectives by applying methodologies developed in previous EU projects. The results have indicated the complexity of integrated assessment dealing with performance of socio-ecological systems. In particular, there are different interpretations of the concept of efficiency that can be quantified at different levels and at different spatial, temporal and functional scales. For this reason, EUFORIE explores the potentialities of of different analytical approaches. It tests the approach in case studies referring to different scales. The insights obtained represent useful information and knowledge for the European Commission and for EU Member States in the field of energy efficiency. The project has two practical objectives:
• to analyze patterns of energy and material efficiency in Europe at different temporal and spatial scales in order to understand interpretations, benefits and risks of failure in the use of the concept of efficiency to formulate policies.
• Understanding and enhancing the role of stakeholders in the deliberation of more effective policies of energy and material resource use.

The practical objectives of the EUFORIE project are the following:
• To provide information about (i) historical trends related to energy efficiency, (ii) the role of energy efficiency as driver of energy use and CO2 emissions, (iii) synergies and trade-offs between different indcator of energy efficiency and sustainable development, and (iv) energy cenarios how to meet the EU policy targets related to energy efficiency.
• To provide data about implementation of energy efficiency in case studies. In particular, focus will be placed on specific processes, sectors and entire systems where energy plays a dominant role, in order to understand bottlenecks and suggest alternatives or improvements.
• To carry out an analysis of energy efficiency from (i) the consumption side (the conversion energy carriers – end uses) across macro-economic sectors and (ii) the production side, making useful energy carriers from primary energy sources in terms of efficiency of provision.
• To identify policy instruments and other measures which are leading to significant reduction in the energy consumption of households and supporting energy sufficiency.
• To analyse energy efficiency at company level and to develop new indicators to describe changing energy efficiency at the company level.
• To carry out participatory and strategic foresight activities for European stakeholders of energy efficiency with a target of providing information about the the usability of the concept of energy efficiency.
• To compare the energy performance, policy instruments and their impacts between China and the EU.

The EUFORIE Work Packages relate to each other and follow the logic described in the attached figure. Project management and dissemination of results run parallel to the research and innovation work at all stages of efforts in the EUFORIE project.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the third reporting period, the following work has been performed:

WP2: All tasks were completed during the previous reporting period.
WP3: A preliminary version of a support tool for policy makers, capable to generate energy and material efficiency improvement scenarios and performance indicators, was developed and tested with different case studies.
WP4: Analysis of energy metabolism in Barcelona was carried out based on the MuSIASEM approach, and a multi-level comparison between China and the EU was carried out by using the MuSIASEM framework.
WP5: Energy sufficiency and the related policy instruments and instrument mixes were analysed.
WP6: Two flexible energy, material, and environmental performance indicators were introduced. They are especially suitable for companies, but can be used at all levels of economic activity. The indicators were tested with publicly available data from five case companies.
WP7: A roundtable discussion on the basis of presentations held by the EUFORIE beneficiaries about selected results from the EUFORIE project was organised in Brussels as a back-to-back event with the EMP-E conference in September 2018.
WP8: Energy efficiency analysis of the building sector in China and energy efficiency analysis at the provincial level in China were carried out. Also a comparison of energy performance and energy efficiency policies between the EU and China was made.
WP9: The project website has been regularly updated. Two energy efficiency related conferences were organized where the EUFORIE results were disseminated. Peer reviewed articles were published. EUFORIE project was presented in the EMP-E conference in Brussels. A deliverable about these three conferences was submitted. Three Policy Briefs have been prepared and distributed. A deliverable about public hearings in the context of WP7 was also submitted. EUFORIE has also a Twitter account and Facebook profile, and it is one of the Coordinator’s projects in ResearchGate.
WP1: Two consortium meetings ánd the second Advisory Board meeting were held.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

After the 1970's oil shocks, “energy saving” was the first issue but soon "energy efficiency" gained popularity because of its relativity. “Specific energy consumption” found its way to the first environmental reports of companies. After environmental awakening in the late 1980s, energy efficiency has been among the objectives of environmental policies as well.
Fossil fuel combustion produces a high share of European GHG emissions. The EU energy efficiency targets have been set in absolute terms of energy consumption in relation to a baseline scenario.
Energy efficiency has been considered as an important means to achieve policy targets such as GHG mitigation, increasing the share of renewables, increasing energy security, and enhance job creation. At the same time, the stakeholders consider energy efficiency as a complex and unclear issue, and they don't always know what energy efficiency actually means.
A comprehensive analysis of the energy and environmental performance is lacking, which takes properly into account energy activities at different levels of the economy, and the international energy flows. EUFORIE aims to provide tools for better analysis of energy performance, and tests them in a set of case studies, especially in WP3 and WP4. WP2 has focused on the role of energy efficiency and other drivers in changing energy use and CO2 emissions at the macro level. WP5 has identified promising policy instruments for promoting energy efficiency and energy sufficiency. WP6 has studied energy efficiency in companies, and suggested flexible indicators for energy, material and environmental performance analysis. WP8 has focused on energy efficiency and related policies in China and on EU-China comparison at the macro level, as well as on energy efficiency at the sectoral and provincial level. Additional case studies of EU-China comparison have been made also in WP4. WP7 has focused on participatory approach to explore the role of stakeholders and receive their feedback to the findings of the EUFORIE project.
The results of the EUFORIE project are expected to contribute (1) to the preparatory phase of national and EU energy efficiency related policies, (2) to company reporting, (39 to the general understanding of the concept of energy efficiency, and (3) to the forthcoming framework programmes of research and innovation activities of the EU.

Image about the links between EUFORIE Work Packages