Publications
The Energy Efficiency Council produces policy reports on areas of interest to its members and the wider energy efficiency and management industry. EEC reports highlight best practice locally and globally, delving into energy market reform, energy efficiency schemes, appliance standards and saving energy in buildings, manufacturing, transport and more.
Demanding Better
A reform agenda for harnessing the power and flexibility of demand side energy resources
As Australia charts the best route to transition our energy system to net zero emissions, current policy frameworks are leaving critical demand-side actions and opportunities on the sidelines.
A big part of the problem is our system of energy governance. Australia’s energy system is governed by a range of markets, policies and regulations, and institutions. Conceived in the 20th century, these arrangements are no longer fit to coordinate the greatest industrial revolution yet – the transition to an energy system that is digitalising, decentralising and decarbonising on the pathway to net zero emissions.
Current Australian energy governance does not adequately consider energy use and focuses almost solely on coordinating energy supply. Demand-side actions – such as energy efficiency and demand flexibility – are essential to achieving emissions reduction targets and can save billions of dollars in energy bills and investment through right-sizing investment in new infrastructure. Current governance arrangements fail to seize these opportunities, needlessly locking us into higher costs and emissions.
Following extensive stakeholder consultation, the Australian Council of Social Service, Ai Group, Energy Efficiency Council and the Property Council of Australia have teamed up to help governments unlock the demand side’s power to reduce bills and emissions, and accelerate the transition.
The paper recommends Federal, State and Territory policymakers work together to:
- Immediately establish a national energy performance agency
- Set national energy performance targets, and measure progress
- Increase representation of consumers and demand side experts in decision-making
- Develop new policies and delivery models that meet energy users where they are
- Identify, understand and mitigate risks to equity
- Put the demand side at the heart of broader energy governance reform.
Clean Energy, Clean Demand - 2023
Enabling a zero emissions energy system with energy management, renewables and electrification
Click cover to download the full report.
Australia is in the midst of an unprecedented energy transformation. In 2022, the federal government set a target of 82 per cent renewables in our electricity system by 2030.
Since then, the national debate has focused on how we build the renewables, networks and storage we need to rapidly replace ageing coal fired generation.
But what about the other side of the system? What needs to happen behind the meter – from efficiency to electrification to energy management – to enable the rapid rollout of renewables and the decarbonisation of our energy use?
Clean Energy, Clean Demand outlines the critical role the demand side will play in the 21st century energy system. It is a roadmap for how we integrate renewables, electrification and energy management to rapidly decarbonise our economy while getting the best possible outcome for businesses and households.
Above: spread taken from the executive summary, Clean Energy, Clean Demand.
The report is a new way of thinking about managing our energy use. It illustrates how, as energy supply changes, our energy use must change with it, taking actions that:
- Maximise the direct use of low-cost, zero emissions renewable energy
- Minimise energy use during ‘pinch points’ – when supply is low and demand is high
- Closely integrate energy demand with supply to drive down system costs.
Key findings
- Managing demand – as well as supply – is critical for a fast, reliable and affordable energy transition
Australia’s electricity system must deliver reliable, affordable energy while rapidly reducing emissions to near-zero. This challenge cannot be underestimated. As investments are made in generation, storage and networks, demand management will make transforming the energy system easier, faster and more affordable.
- Electrifying efficiently will support the rapid, affordable decarbonisation of electricity
To decarbonise at the rate required over the next decade, a huge amount of Australia’s gas, petrol and diesel use will need to be electrified, especially in buildings and light transport. Electrifying loads efficiently and managing the demand placed on electricity grids will reduce the amount of supply-side infrastructure that needs to be built, accelerating decarbonisation while reducing costs.
- Driving down the total cost of our energy systems will reduce bills for consumers
As Australia charts a path forward, focus should be placed on minimising the total cost to society of providing energy services through balanced investment across electricity generation, storage, networks, equipment and energy management. Reducing the amount consumers have to pay for energy services, such as warm homes and transport, is key.
- Transforming energy demand requires urgent focus
Over the past two decades, substantial efforts have been made to transform Australia’s energy supply, but far less effort has been put into how energy is used. Unlocking the potential of energy management to support the transition to net zero requires urgent action.
Above: opening spread from chapter 4, Clean Energy, Clean Demand.
The World’s First Fuel: How energy efficiency is reshaping global energy systems
Major global economies, including China, Germany, India, Japan and the United States, are making huge strides to improve their energy efficiency and adjust when they use energy. International reports released in the past year, such as the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) 2018 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard, have shown that Australia currently ranks worst out of developed countries when it comes to energy policy and performance.
The EEC’s latest flagship report, The World’s First Fuel: How energy efficiency is reshaping global energy systems, examines the energy efficiency policies that these global leaders have introduced, and what the key lessons are for Australia. The report is informed by extensive research and interviews with global experts from the US, Europe and Asia, and is aimed at senior decision makers.
This report examines key energy management policies in other countries. It is not intended as an exhaustive review of international practice. Instead it highlights a number of policies and programs that Australia should adopt to ensure that our energy system is affordable, reliable and sustainable.
Click here to download The World’s First Fuel: How energy efficiency is reshaping global energy systems
Save Energy, Cut Bills, Improve Reliability - 2017
Long-term conversation is important, but we need to get started straight away if we are going to have any hope of meeting this target. That's why the Energy Efficiency Council also released Save Energy, Cut Bills, Improve Reliability – 2017-18 Policy Priorities for an Energy Efficient Australia. This document sets out our case for immediate action and a set of priority policies that should be the focus of governments around Australia in 2017-18.
Click here to download Save Energy, Cut Bills, Improve Reliability
Australian Energy Efficiency Policy Handbook
In 2016, the EEC launched the first edition of the Australian Energy Efficiency Policy Handbook. The Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the policies that are essential to drive ambitious energy efficiency improvements in Australia.
The Australian Energy Efficiency Policy Handbook was developed in close consultation with experts from across Australia's energy sector. It provides state and federal governments with a detailed plan and evidence-based recommendations for driving a step change in energy efficiency across all sectors of the Australian economy.
The EEC will release a second edition of the Handbook in the second half of 2019. This edition takes into account the feedback we receive on the first edition and any new data that becomes available. In this way, we hope to build a consensus on what constitutes sensible, stable and economically prudent energy efficiency policy in Australia.
Click here to download the Australian Energy Efficiency Policy Handbook