Energy Efficiency Strategies

The Pembina Institute has published a report outlining energy efficiency policies used in other jurisdictions and recommending which strategies can be applied in Canada. Increased energy efficiency means producing goods and services with less energy, and improving the productivity of how we consume energy provides Canadians with many direct benefits.

The report highlights the key features of successful energy efficiency policies among leading U.S. states and in the European Union, and makes recommendations on how the experiences of these jurisdictions can be applied in Canada at both the provincial and federal level.

Core Elements Of Successful Strategies

Looking at California, New York, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, Vermont, and the United Kingdom, the authors identify successful strategies that share several core elements, including leadership in making energy efficiency a priority resource in energy policy, setting legally binding targets for energy savings, and providing financial and institutional structures to deliver energy efficiency.

The strategies also share the development of comprehensive programs and the establishment of measurement and verification protocols.

Applying These Lessons In Canada

While energy efficiency helps save money, limit environmental degradation, and reduce uncertainty about the future costs of energy services, the authors conclude that Canada’s energy saving achievements appear to have been decreasing. Much could be accomplished by adopting, modifying, and building on the successful strategies reviewed in the report, and the amount of energy savings that can be realized depends on the policy designs, resources, and time devoted to energy efficiency.