-
The Potential of Behavioural Interventions for Optimising Energy Use at Home
…behaviour and encourage investments in structural improvements. This article focuses on the potential for enhancing energy efficiency with policies and programmes designed to educate consumers and encourage them to alter their daily habits – without resorting to large-scale structural improvements. This focus is motivated by the observation that interventions aimed at promoting behavioural change are often cheaper to implement relative to policies that seek to encourage investment. Such measures also tend to be relatively quick to design and implement. What are behavioural interventions and how can behavioural insights enhance the impact of energy efficiency policy? Behavioural interventions are policies and…
-
Fuel economy in Japan
…20% relative to 2015, requiring a 3.7% annual average reduction. The 2020 target also took hybrid electric vehicles into consideration as a top runner given their significant share in new vehicle sales. The 2030 standards have two major differences from previous standards, including expanding the scope of powertrains covered and considering well-to-tank fuel efficiency.Japan has promoted very small, lightweight vehicles (Kei-cars) since 1949 through reduced acquisition and insurance taxes, discounts on rural highway tolls and exemptions from parking space requirements, and fuel consumption labelling has been mandatory in Japan since 2000. Japan also offers up…
-
Putting a price on carbon – an efficient way for Thailand to meet its bold emission target
…clean vehicle incentives, energy efficiency installations, wildfire protection and development of a low-carbon economy workforce. The country has some experience of carbon market mechanisms, but also has “readiness gaps” Having confirmed its nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement in 2016, Thailand is implementing various action plans to reach its target of reducing GHG emissions in 2030 to 20.8% below the business-as-usual level. Its National Climate Change Master Plan (2015-50) refers to the carbon market as a potential mechanism to achieve targeted emission reductions in key industries and promote energy efficiency more widely. The upcoming…
-
Japan Climate Resilience Policy Indicator
…change on energy systems. Climate hazard assessment TemperatureJapan’s average annual temperature rose 1.24°C per century since 1898. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, temperature increases were more pronounced in the spring and autumn than in the winter and summer over the last century. The number of hot days (above 35°C) increased in the last century, while the number of extreme cold days decreased. Geographically, the increase in temperature has been more pronounced in urban areas than in rural ones, with Tokyo’s average temperature climbing twice as quickly as that of rural areas. Compared with the end of…
-
Japan Oil Security Policy
Country Energy Security Policy - Oil Oil overview Oil remains the most significant energy source in Japan, accounting for about 40% of the country’s total energy supply, even if Japan’s oil demand has been steadily decreasing in line with the country’s overall declining total energy use. This decline was only briefly interrupted after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and its subsequent impacts, when old oil power generation facilities were quickly brought back online to replace temporarily missing nuclear generation.Having no notable domestic production, Japan is heavily dependent on crude oil imports, with between 80% to 90…
-
Japan Electricity Security Policy
Country Energy Security Policy - Electricity Electricity overview and generation portfolio Japan’s electricity system was severely affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear accident, after which all nuclear power generation was temporarily stopped, which until then represented around 25% of generation. Since then, nuclear represents only a minor share of Japan’s electricity generation. Natural gas is the most important fuel for generation, followed by coal. Oil’s share has been decreasing, but old oil powered facilities played a crucial role in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 earthquake. As an island country with no…
-
Japan Natural Gas Security Policy
Country Energy Security Policy - Natural Gas Natural gas overview The share of natural gas in Japan’s total energy supply increased significantly over the past decade, driven by growing demand from the electricity generation sector. The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima nuclear accident resulted in the closure of all nuclear plans, which led to an increase in the demand for natural gas. While Japan produces more gas than oil, domestic production is still very limited, bringing the dependence on imports to over 90%.With its archipelago geography, Japan’s imports are entirely in the form of liquefied…
-
Efficient Grid-Interactive Buildings
…in energy efficiency, electrification of end uses and renewable energy generation. For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a growing population and rising standards of living will massively increase future energy demand. Mitigating growing electricity demand and integrating renewable energy into electricity generation will therefore be paramount for the region’s clean energy transition and avoid lock-in of additional fossil fuel generation. The intermittent nature of variable renewable energy and increasing deployment of distributed energy resources are putting additional pressure on existing grids. In response to these challenges, this report explores the opportunities and challenges for efficient grid…
-
Assessing Measures of Energy Efficiency Performance and their Application in Industry
Assessing Measures of Energy Efficiency Performance and their Application in Industry This paper explores different measures of energy efficiency performance (“MEEP”) and considers the importance of so-called boundary definitions when measuring energy performance, and how these affect the appropriateness of country comparisons to guide policy decisions.
The paper also addresses the limitations of both energy intensity and technology diffusion indicators as measures of energy efficiency performance. A case study on Japan’s iron and steel industry illustrates the critical role of proper boundary definitions for a meaningful assessment of energy efficiency in industry. -
Regional Energy Efficiency Policy Recommendations: Southeast Asia Region
Working with energy efficiency policy experts from ten countries in Southeast Asia, the IEA and partners including the Asian Development Bank, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia and the International Copper Association Southeast Asia (ICASEA) developed this set of twenty region-specific energy efficiency policy recommendations. These recommendations seek to help countries in Southeast Asia overcome barriers to energy efficiency uptake and realise the tremendous benefits of energy efficiency for their economies.
The IEA also worked with regional partners to develop energy efficiency policy recommendations for the Arab-Southern…