UK tops international energy efficiency ranking

The first international energy efficiency scorecard published by ACEEE (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy) has ranked Britain ahead of Germany, Japan and the US for energy efficiency. Cumulatively, the twelve economies featured represent 78% of global GDP, 63% of energy consumption and 62% of the world’s CO² emissions.

Nations were ranked in 27 categories, each divided into four groupings: national energy use, energy consumption from buildings, industrial usage and transportation. Modelled on previous comparisons of US states, ACEEE based the study on both policy and performance metrics.

The UK was ranked top in the transportation and industry* categories (*tied with Italy/China/Germany). Edward Davey, British Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, welcomed the study explaining ‘energy efficiency sits at the heart of our policies to encourage low-carbon growth… and enhance energy security’.

ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel said: ‘the UK and the leading economies of Europe are now well ahead of the United States when it comes to energy efficiency… Countries that use energy more efficiently require fewer resources to achieve the same goals, thus reducing costs, preserving valuable natural resources, and creating jobs’.

China stood clear at the top of the buildings category, followed by Australia, the EU, US/Germany (tied fourth), with the UK coming in fifth place. Germany was ranked first for national efforts. The report concludes with an outline of improvement targets for the US.

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