European commission activities for energy-efficient office technology in Europe
Improving the efficiency with which energy is consumed has long been and still is a central theme of energy policy within the European Union. Improved energy efficiency reduces energy consumption, thereby reducing the use of finite energy resources as well as dependence on energy resources imported from outside the European Union. First and foremost, however, it allows a corresponding reduction of pollutants associated with energy production and use, including emissions in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}), the major cause of the greenhouse effect. Because of the particular importance of electricity in the energy sector, with electricity generation accounting for approximately 35% of total primary energy use and 30% of man-made CO{sub 2} emissions to the atmosphere, the Council adopted a Decision on June 5, 1989, establishing a Community action program for improving the efficiency of electricity use, known as the PACE program. This Decision calls for the management of actions within the Member States, with the Commission playing a coordinating role and, where appropriate, leading its own actions. In particular, a major role in achieving CO{sub 2} emission reductions is foreseen through improved energy efficiency. Under the PACE program a number of different actions are being pursued, selected so as to achieve the biggest impact in terms of electricity savings with respect to the cost and effort of achieving these savings. Office technology is a priority area of action, because it`s one of the fastest growing sectors in terms of electricity consumption in the Community. The present personal computer (PC) power load in Europe is approximately 10 GVA, equivalent to eight large power plants, and growing at a rate of 29%/year. The office equipment sector consumes about 50 TWh per year. Savings of 30% in this sector can be achieved quite easily, resulting in savings of 15 TWh/ year, or about 1% of all electricity consumption in the Community.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Policy Research Associates, Inc., Reston, VA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 254578
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-105549; CONF-9410439-; TRN: 96:002543-0010
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Energy-efficient office technology 1994: and international seminar, New York, NY (United States), 17-19 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings: Energy-efficient office technology 1994, an international seminar; PB: 313 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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