IPods, Mobiles Undermining Energy Efficiency Progress

Global demand for electronic gadgets with a high energy consumption like iPods and mobile phones is undermining energy efficiency progress being made in other areas, according to a new report issued by the IEA (International Energy Agency).

Governments should factor in the introduction into society of new consumer electronics products when setting energy efficiency standards, said the agency, which is based in Paris and which provides guidance to 28 nations.  If not, it added, household energy consumption could increase threefold over the next two decades.

The majority of electricity still comes from fossil fuel incineration, which produces emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases – hence the link between energy use and CO2.  However, consumers can still embrace new technologies, providing they do so efficiently, Paul Waide – an analyst at the IEA – stated.

“There is a way of having our cake and eating it at the same time by being much more proactive on efficiency”, Waide explained.

“We can hold total consumption at today's levels by using best available technologies, despite a dramatic growth in use.”

Energy Efficiency Saving

In the case of the majority of appliances, the report wrote, technologies existed that could produce a minimum 40 per cent energy efficiency saving.   However, the extent to which these could be used depended on consumer selection, at the end of the day.  “The extent of savings is large; however the energy and financial savings on individual residential appliances often appear insignificant to consumers”, it stated.

Domestic Energy Consumption

Environmental campaigners are hailing 2009 as potentially the year in which action against climate change will really take off.  For one thing, by the end of the year, a replacement Kyoto Protocol deal should have been agreed.  However, the increase in domestic energy consumption highlights the importance for individual consumers to play their part in fighting climate change, not just governments.  This increase, according to the report, is observable across the world, and has been growing at 3.4 per cent per annum on average.

As far as developed countries are concerned, appliances like refrigerators are now accountable for less energy consumption as a percentage of overall electricity use (whereas before, they made up the majority).  Any savings, however, are being masked by the paralleled increase use of technology like iPods.

In the US, for instance, televisions are now consuming three times the electricity that they were a decade ago, while consumption by refrigerators has moved the other way. 

PC electricity consumption figures, too, are on the up and – according to the IEA report – approximately one billion people across the world will be using a computer before 2009 is out.