Overview
Adopting smart energy efficiency policies is an essential strategy for achieving a sustainable future. Scaled up globally, energy efficiency would cost about US$0.02–US$0.05 per kilowatt-hour saved, a fraction of the cost of clean energy from other sources. Appliance and equipment efficiency has enormous potential to reduce energy demand and carbon emissions while lowering energy costs for consumers, businesses, and institutions.
The Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial and the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation aim to make it easier for governments and the private sector to capitalize on these opportunities.
Employing current best practices in economies that are participating in SEAD can, by 2030, reduce annual electricity demand by 2,000 terawatt-hours (as much energy as is produced by 650 mid-sized coal-fired power plants) and annual fuel energy demand by 30 million tonnes of oil equivalent. These measures would decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 11 billion metric tons over the next two decades.
Key Accomplishment
As a direct result of cooperative work through the SEAD initiative, Korea and India have either adopted or proposed 13 standards and policies to advance the energy efficiency of lighting, televisions, and ceiling fans.
Goal
SEAD partners are working to create a common technical foundation to allow governments to more easily adopt cost-effective appliance efficiency policies and programs. Broader market transformation efforts—including incentives, awards, and procurement programs—seek to further accelerate the global pace of progress for energy-efficient equipment and appliances.
For more information, view the SEAD activities page or fact sheet, or visit www.superefficient.org.