#19 Energy Efficiency First (with Dr. Jan Steinbach & Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eichhammer)

What if we treat energy efficiency as a source of energy in its own right? Investors could prioritize more cost-effective demand-side solutions instead of complex and costly energy sources and new infrastructure. Essentially reducing fossil fuels consumption and energy production while increasing independency and security of supply. Reduced energy demand could also control the level of investment needed for the transition toward renewables.

Today we're discussing the "energy efficiency first principle"- a key element of EU policy on emissions reduction, which highlights energy efficiency's importance in planning and investment processes in the energy transition.

Our guests today are Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eichhammer and Dr. Jan Steinbach.

Prof. Dr. Eichhammer heads the Competence Center for Energy Policy and Energy Markets at Fraunhofer ISI and is a physicist with professional experience gathered in various countries of the European Union and world-wide in designing and evaluating energy efficiency and renewables policies as well as climate policies.

Dr. Steinbach is the Managing Director of IREES GmbH – Institute for Resource Efficiency and Energy Strategies since November 2017 and also heads the business unit “Energy Management and Energy System Models”.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "julius.wesche@ntnu.no".