World over the Energy Efficiency market is facing the real issues now. After initial exhilaration and euphoria, world over people are realizing that setting the targets is one thing and doing all the donkey work to achieve them is another thing.  The experts and senior officials from all over the world have expressed doubts over whether all the targets which have been set out by the respective countries would be met. World over country after country, state after state have set ambitious targets. But as the time is passing by the reality is looking into the faces of planners, all over the world.

The major obstacles in achieving the Energy Efficiency targets are A) Subsidies and B) Human Behaviour.  Subsidies are there in fossil fuels and also in the electricity tariffs. Unless, the Government seriously think about letting it go, the efforts in Energy Efficiency wont be visible. One can not blame one particular Government. In fact this problem has been there in past and is likely to be there in future as well. Government uses the subsidies as a tool to entice the voters before and after the elections. The vicious cycle continues, only the party changes.

The next Government which gets the mandate the run the country, tries to outscores the previous Government and the saga goes on. Various studies have been conducted world over and the chances are that subsidies would still be there even after 2020.

As regards the human behaviour is concerned, though many technologies like smart grids  have arrived on the horizon but people’s interest in smart metering, energy displays, and other technologies is still to pickup. These technologies can only succeed if the masses gets involved in them.

Image Courtesy  GDS Infographics

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