Montreal, 14 September 2010

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) called for a global taskforce to coordinate technology-based energy efficiency initiatives in an effort to increase coherence, and reduce duplication and wasted time, as it launched its white paper, “Coping with the Energy Challenge”, at the World Energy Congress in Montreal.

This is the first report that has attempted to outline how the energy chain needs to be altered to achieve ambitious carbon emission reduction targets of 20% by 2020. In light of its findings and with the demand for electricity expected to triple by 2050, it also identifies areas offering highest potential for short and medium term energy efficiency results and their underlying standardization needs.

President of the IEC, Jacques Regis, commented, “Business as usual is no longer an option, we need to fundamentally change how we generate and consume energy. The International Electrotechnical Commission calls for a coordinated effort to reach emission targets. All stakeholders need to work together on a planetary scale to reduce currently occurring duplications and ensure better outcomes for technology-based climate change initiatives. A key element to achieving those emission targets will be the broad adoption of the concept of smart electrification. While as an organization we have always delivered the underlying frameworks needed to enable the roll-out of energy-efficient technologies, we must now broaden our scope to include a systems approach on a global scale and achieve a closer cooperation with governments and regulatory bodies.”

"A coordinated, global taskforce for the entire energy chain is urgently needed, and in it, the IEC can leverage its access to close to 10,000 experts and 162 participating countries. Together with our partners we can ensure that every technology-based energy efficiency initiative has a solid technical foundation and demonstrates a smarter use of energy.”

The white paper focuses on the potential for “smart electrification” to help meet the challenge of a growing global population, diminishing natural energy supplies and the need to reduce carbon emission levels. Proposing that electric energy is the most versatile and controllable form of energy, the easiest and most efficient to distribute, with little wastage and the potential to be produced cleanly, the white paper explores what must be done to achieve the highest levels of energy efficiency. Through its assessment of the entire energy chain – from generation to distribution, consumption and storage – the IEC uses a projection model to identify future standardization needs over the next 20 years. 

Major conclusions include:

* Redesign the energy chain: There is a need tolook at how we generate and consume energy, to redesign systems on a globalscale, not individual products in specific countries/regions. This will directlyimpact how standards will be written and used.

* Greater efficiency needed in how we use raw energy: The smarter use ofelectric energy, what the IEC calls “smart electrification”, can reduceemissions by using energy more efficiently through a system wide approach. It isanticipated that the energy saved can help drive economies everywhere andprovide more power to the energy poor.

* Technology coordination needs to be put in place: There is a need toensure global coordination between all stakeholders to ensure technicalfeasibility is guaranteed globally and standardization is consistentinternationally.

As the result of the findings of the white paper, the IEC will now develop necessary reference and systems architectures to achieve a smart-electrification future, and seek greater collaboration and co-operation with international organizations, governments and regulatory bodies. 

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