Page 18 - SGG_220316_Teachers_Handbook_Module_3

• Celia Topping, (2022), 20 fascinating renewable energy facts to inspire you, OVO Energy Ltd,
Online at: https://www.ovoenergy.com/blog/green/20-fascinating-renewable-energy-facts

2. Monitoring energy consumption and energy efficiency

Learning Objectives
After these lessons, students should be able to:

• Identify energy production and energy consumption patters worldwide and at a European
level;
• Understand how we monitor energy consumption and energy efficiency;
• List and explain ways to conserve energy and explain how energy conservation can reduce the
environmental impact of resource extraction;
• Describe how buildings can be made more energy efficient and why is that so important;

2.1. Energy consumption

The Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on energy consumption in the European Union.
In 2020, the EU’s primary energy consumption (which includes all energy uses) and final energy
consumption (by end users) experienced a historic drop following two years of more moderate
reductions and reached the lowest levels recorded since 1990. This helped the EU meet its 2020
energy efficiency targets for both primary and final energy consumption. However, a rebound must be
avoided, and long-term reductions remain necessary to achieve the EU’s energy and climate
objectives for 2030 and 2050.

Video: How much electricity does it take to power the world?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwrG4Debc4 (5 min and 1 sec)
Video: Cities & Rising Energy Consumption 101 - Matt Ferrell x Student Energy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7itJt8c0V8M(6 min and 4 sec)

Global energy consumption

The energy system has transformed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. We see this
transformation of the global energy supply in the interactive chart shown here. It graphs global energy
consumption from 1800 onwards (see the Figure below).

Demand for energy is growing across many countries in the world, as people get richer and
populations increase. If this increased demand is not offset by improvements in energy
efficiency elsewhere, then our global energy consumption will continue to grow year-on-
year. Growing energy consumption makes the challenge of transitioning our energy systems away from
fossil fuels towards low-carbon sources of energy more difficult: new low-carbon energy has to meet
this additional demand and try to displace existing fossil fuels in the energy mix.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the
views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.
pg. 18