Synergies Between Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

This report starts with an overview of the latest insights from IRENA, with a focus on the role of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the decarbonization of the global energy system by 2050. It pays particular attention to the five largest energy-using countries of the G20, namely the People’s Republic of China, Germany, India, Japan and the United States, but it narrows its focus to 2030. Three primary cases are examined from 2010 (the base year of the analysis) to 2030: (1) a business-as-usual case (the Reference Case, which examines change predicted under current national plans), (2) an accelerated renewable uptake case and (3) a case that combines accelerated renewables with enhanced efficiency. Five conclusions are drawn from the analysis in this report.