Modeling the impact of energy sufficiency measures in European integrated energy systems using PyPSA-Eur

The Paris Agreement, in which most countries set the goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C, calls for extensive coordinated efforts across multiple energy sectors. The EU aims at a net-zero greenhouse gas economy by 2050. The two primary focus areas to meet this target are deploying renewable technologies in the energy mix and increasing energy efficiency. Energy sufficiency is an essential aspect of the energy transition that is often overlooked or confused with energy efficiency. It refers to the reduction of energy consumption on individual and societal levels by adopting behaviors and practices that are less energy intensive. The adoption of energy-sufficiency measures can have significant benefits for the energy transition by reducing the overall energy demand, which can, in turn, reduce the need for new energy infrastructure and lower the system costs.
In this study, PyPSA-Eur, a generation and transmission optimal expansion and dispatch model, is used to study the energy system of five interconnected countries while accounting for energy sufficiency measures across multiple energy sectors. The outcomes are then compared to a reference case and business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. The sufficiency measures assumed in this study lead to less investment costs in generation technologies and grid expansion compared to the BAU scenario. The findings suggest that energy-sufficiency
measures can result in significant cost savings and emission reductions, and energy sufficiency combined with energy efficiency and VRE integration can play a crucial role in the energy transition compared to the pathways considering only energy efficiency and VRE integration.