Efficiency First – Green Paper process started

The Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) has published a Green Paper on energy efficiency and today starts the consultation process to find solutions for the long term reduction of energy consumption in Germany. The ministry wants to discuss its 14 propositions on how Germany can become more energy efficient with civil society, other ministries and the EU commission until October. The Green Paper says that the 2050 ambitious efficiency targets are not achievable with the measures currently in place. Energy minister Sigmar Gabriel said that efficiency had a high priority because “energy that we’re saving is energy that we don’t have to produce, store, transport and pay for”. The Green Paper suggests making “efficiency first” the first rule for planning the energy transition. Recent figures were showing that economic growth and reduced energy consumption could go hand in hand, the ministry said in a press release. Sector coupling and digitalisation are part of the five fields of action established in the Green Paper.

Read the press release in German here and the Green Paper here.

Read a CLEW dossier on energy efficiency as part of the Energiewende.