Evaluating impacts other than energy savings

The EPATEE project is focused on the evaluation of energy savings. This section provides references and links for users looking for information about impacts other than energy savings and their evaluation.

• General introduction to multiple impacts (or multiple benefits)

A general introduction to impacts other than energy savings can be found on the IEA website, and more specifically the page dedicated to benefits of energy efficiency: https://www.iea.org/topics/energyefficiency/#benefits

From this page, the users can access to more details about each category of benefit shown in the figure below.

• Example of ex-ante evaluation of multiple impacts of energy efficiency at EU level

The H2020 COMBI project enables users to assess the magnitude of possible multiple impacts in EU Member States considering scenarios for 2030 (ex-ante evaluation), thanks to the COMBI online tool: https://combi-project.eu/tool/

For an introduction about the COMBI project and its tool, see the following webinar: http://www.leonardo-energy.org/resources/1470/multiple-impacts-of-energy-efficiency-approaches-results-and-5b7144e0339f3

For more details about the assumptions and methods used, see the reports of the project: https://combi-project.eu/downloads/project-reports/

These reports also include literature reviews about methodologies to evaluate the following impacts: air pollution, use of resources, social welfare/energy poverty/health, macro-economic impacts, energy system/security.

• Online tool providing references and data about multiple impacts in EU countries

The H2020 ODYSSEE-MURE project has developed an online tool dedicated to assess quantitative indicators of multiple benefits of energy efficiency (MB-EE), mostly either at national level (top-down approach) or for policies for which studies are available (bottom-up approach). The coverage of the countries therefore depends on the availability of data or references.

“It aims to show the different aspects of energy efficiency beyond energy savings and give a more holistic view on its benefit.

The MB-EEs are classified into three groups: environmental, economic, and social –related MBs. The first group contains most relevant and direct aspects of energy efficiency such as energy savings and reduced GHG emissions. The second group comprises, among others, positive macro-economic impacts on economic growth, for innovation and competitiveness as well as import dependency. The third group of impacts covers aspects such as health benefits, poverty alleviation and employment”.

The benefits covered by this tool are presented in a map (see figure below). The users can click on the benefits they are interested in to get more information, references about studies and data on these benefits, and graphs from the data available.

Source: http://www.odyssee-mure.eu/data-tools/multiple-benefits-energy-efficiency.html

• Guidance to evaluate impacts other than energy savings

US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has developed a guide to support public authorities with the quantification of multiple benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy: https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/quantifying-multiple-benefits-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-energy-guide-state

This guide “describes methods, tools, and steps analysts can use to quantify these benefits so that they can compare costs and benefits and comprehensively assess the value of energy policy and program choices.”

The first part of the guide explains what the multiple benefits can be, and the value to quantify them. The second part includes guidance about how to quantify these benefits, from basic up to sophisticated methods, illustrated with case studies and examples. The types of benefits covered are: electricity system, emissions, health, and economic benefits.