Abstract
This comparison study of the implementation of energy-saving projects in buildings was conducted in order to consider the diversity of experiences between Western European countries, which have experience and expertise in this area, and those countries in Eastern Europe that are in the beginning stages. The goal of this paper is to analyze obstacles and incentives for investment in energy conservation in buildings by comparing European countries with a diverse landscape of institutional and economic developments, social-cultural values, and environmental framework conditions in order to understand if these differences are influencing the implementation of energy saving measures and how this can be used to overcome the existing obstacles. The study is based on survey results received from experts in Eastern and Western European countries. The main value of the research is that it offers an overview of the potentials and constraints (barriers) to energy efficiency in Europe, based on data from a sample of western and eastern European countries. Among the most important incentives that were implemented to stimulate energy-saving measures are costs savings and the need to meet regulatory requirements. The main obstacles that still restrict the number of already implemented projects in Europe are a lack of proper financial incentives and that many Eastern countries are still struggling to develop the market of Energy Saving Services (ESS) and to operate better energy waste control systems. The paper concludes with the successful incentives that were implemented to stimulate the energy-saving measures and the main obstacles that still restrict the number of already implemented projects in Europe. Additionally, a set of indicators related to the environmental friendliness and social significance of energy-saving measures was proposed for evaluation of the project results. These were used based on the fact that they may be measured and cater for comparisons. This paper can help improve policy-makers’ selections in order to improve economic instruments appropriate to energy-saving policy objectives and specific national contexts.
Highlights
The International Energy Agency (IEA), in its World Energy Outlook 2017 (WEO), presented a scenario that delivers modern energy for all by 2030
The Eastern European region did not experience the sharp increase in world energy prices in the 1970s as other regions did; the opportunities for more efficient energy use were scarcely realised in these countries
The combination of financial support for energy-saving projects, improved regulatory frameworks and favourable conditions for investment played the most important role for both Western and Eastern European countries. These findings show that the same methods are working in both regions, and the experience from Western European countries can be applied in the Eastern European countries to overcome existing obstacles [40,41]
Summary
The International Energy Agency (IEA), in its World Energy Outlook 2017 (WEO), presented a scenario that delivers modern energy for all by 2030 According to this plan, it is possible to achieve climate goals and reduce air pollution through a low-carbon energy transition. For the purposes of this paper, defined as an optimisation in the energy use, to allow the manufacturing of products or provisions of services with the lowest possible amount of energy. It is, in other words, a “smart” way of using energy.
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