Barriers to maximising compliance with energy efficiency policy

Panel: Panel 2. Policy implementation: learning from the past, improving the future

Authors:
Mark Ellis, Mark Ellis and Associates, Australia
Ingrid Barnsley, International Energy Agency, France
Shane Holt, Equipment Energy Branch, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australia, Australia

Abstract

The acceptance of energy efficiency as an important policy tool to achieve a range of public policy outcomes appears to be gaining momentum globally. Yet at the same time, most energy efficiency practitioners and policymakers are aware of an “implementation gap”, where the actual, measured outcomes of a policy fall short of its projected or anticipated energy savings. This paper focuses on one of the many causes for this gap which remains under explored, that of poor compliance by industry with energy efficiency policy.

The lack of comprehensive data on levels of non-compliance within energy efficiency programmes is itself indicative of the low priority given to this area in many countries. The evidence that is available suggests that non-compliance is a real problem across countries and policy types, reflecting inadequate planning and under-resourcing as well as limitations in enforcing energy efficiency policies.

The authors postulate that among the explanations for this is an unwillingness to undermine energy efficiency efforts has prevented this issue from being fully discussed and publicly reported.
This paper argues for the importance, and cost effectiveness, of addressing non-compliance in order to reach policy objectives. A better understanding of the extent of non-compliance, and the identification of a key set of activities which can improve compliance rates is required for policymakers to effectively plan, resource and implement energy efficiency policy.

Based on experience of good practice within the energy efficiency and other fields, a range of key compliance and enforcement mechanisms are highlighted.