Unlocking the
Energy
Efficiency
Opportunity
Jim Scheer
SEAI
• Technical and economic
potential
• Key opportunities per
sector
• Consumer decision
making analysis
• Key policy
recommendations
• Exchequer perspective
and wider economics
• Beyond 2020
€700m
annual
savings
Advice and
mentoring
to over 3,000
SME’s
160 largest
industry
users
activated
Over
300,000
homes
upgraded
200
community
based
projects
Building
regulations
Public sector
programme
Tax
measures
€
€ €
€ €
Investment
Value of savings + Health, wellbeing
+ Competitiveness
+ Reduced import bill
+ more…
Multiple benefits
Remaining potential
The business case is clear …
• Expand on the achievements to date
• Make our energy efficiency target
• Multiply these benefits for households and business
How do we accelerate
uptake of energy
efficiency across the
economy?
We know.. • There is no silver bullet
• It does not happen by itself
Finance
Different measures are needed to
over come different barriers
Information
Split
incentives
‘Hidden’
costs
Influencing consumer choices with policy
Consumer awareness House
types
Business
types
Budgets
Willingness-
to-pay
“I am already considering my options”
“I think I can reduce energy use but I’m not sure where to start”
“I think I have already put in all measures”
“Energy is not a top priority for me”
38% 40% 38%22% 26%
25% 18%28%
25%28%
35% 40%29%
47% 40%
Retail Warehouse
and storage
6%
OfficeHotel
5%
Restaurant/
public house
3% 3%
6%
I
III
II
IV
Influencing consumer choices with policy
Information campaigns,
promoting services, audits
Financial support, loans,
EPC, tax incentives
Regulation
Some specific policy interventions
• Low interest finance in the residential sector can
unlock savings
• Reaching an aware consumers through regulation
requiring targeted information
• Active promotion of the ESCO market
• A focus on behavioural change in transport
Target
achievement
NOW
Risks of
inaction
Net savings €8 billion
Government +€1 billion
Jobs and GDP
Lost competitiveness
Import reliance
EU fines in 2020
2020
Getting it done
• Targeted policy package
• Interactive and reinforcing policies
• Raising awareness of personal
gains available
• Informed and engaged citizens
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS DATA
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Energy_Policy_Publications/E
nergy_Modelling_Group_Publications/
The commercial building stock
Over €195
million in
energy
savings
possible by
2020
Commercial sector opportunities
National Energy Services Framework
http://www.seai.ie/Your_Business/National_Energy_
Services_Framework/
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland is partly
financed by Ireland’s EU Structural Funds Programme co-
funded by the Irish Government and the European Union.
Unlocking
the Energy Efficiency
Opportunity
Reports at www.seai.ie/energydata