Effective policy instruments for energy efficiency in residential space heating - an international empirical analysis (EPISODE)
In the project an empirical analysis of the policy instruments aiming at reducing the consumption of energy for space heating has been carried out. Comparative analysis have been made for Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland and France.
The proposed project aims at an analysis of the factors influencing the energy efficiency of dwellings in view of the development of improved and harmonised regulations. The approach is based on the empirical analysis of the effects of existing policy instruments in different member states, such as standards, taxes and subsidies on insulation technologies and heating system technologies. The following outcomes are expected from the present proposal: 1) A thorough interdisciplinary comparison of existing policy instruments for energy efficienty in the field of space heating on a theoretical basis accounting for economic, technical and political considerations. Thereby particular emphasis will laid on economic effectiveness, achievements of environmental goals, the involvement of different stakeholders and the application context. 2) An empirical assessment of the effectiveness of the different instruments based on sample surveys to confirm or refute the theoretical considerations. In particular an in-depth analysis whether stipulated technical standards are met properly. 3) Recommendations for further regulations drawn from the theoretical and empirical analysis of existing instruments. The recommendations obtained as final result of the research should provide an important input to policy formulation in the European Union, especially at the European level but also for national, regional and local authorities that stipulate standards, enact taxes or give any kind of financial support to the owners or tenants of buildings
Previous investigations have shown that substantial technical potentials exist for reductions in household energy consumption for space heating. Many policy instruments have been applied in order to realise these potentials within the last 25-30 years, for example building regulations, energy taxes, subsidies, and various general information schemes. The project has shown that not all of the policy instruments have had an effect, ie. reduced the consumption of energy. Building regulations have been introduced in all the countries involved in the investigation in order to reduce consumption of energy in newly constructed buildings. Differnces exist across the countries as to how restrictive the building regulations have been. In spite of this, it turns out that in all the countries the building regulations have had a significant influence on the consumption of energy in these new buildings compared to the existing housing stock. Taxes on energy for space heating have been introduced in most of the countries in the 1990's. In Denmark they were, however, introduced in the 1970's. In the project the direct effect of the taxes are investigated. The direct effect is measured as the effect of the energy tax for a given stock of heating technology. The direct effect can be interpreted as the effect that can be expected in the short run. The results indicate that the direct effect of the energy taxes has been very limited. This does, however, not rule out that significant long run effects may exist. Subsidies for investments in new space heating technology or insulation activities has applied to a limited extend in all the countries. In the analysis only minor effects can be traced from these. In the countries analysed general informational schemes in many cases have been applied. In general the effects of such schemes are very difficult to measure, and only in a few cases an attempt has been made to do that. One example of a general informational scheme is the Danish Energy Consultancy scheme. (Energikonsulentordningen). The effect of this scheme on the consumption of energy in apartment blocks has been analysed. The analysis indicate that the effect of this scheme has been limited. Generally, within the past 30 years substantial reductions in energy consumption per square metre for space heating has been obtained as a result of the applicaton of various policy measures. Our analysis indicate that this can be ascribed to the application of building regulations as far as the newly built housing stock is concerned. A great challenge for the future, however, is to obtain reductions in the consumption of energy for space heating in the existing housing stick
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Participants
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Contact
Nyropsgade 37
DK-1602 København V, Denmark
Togeby, Mikael (docent); Projektleder: Munksgaard, Jesper , 33110300, mt@akf.dk
Øvr. Partnere: Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Use of Energy (IER), University of Stuttgart, (DE); Agence de 1'Environnement et de la Maitrise de 1'Energie (ADEME) (FR); Lund Univrsity. Dept. of Building Physics (SE); Utrecht University. Institute of Energy Economics and the Rational Use of Energy (NW and S) (NL); European Union R and TD. Energy (BE)
