Increased efficiency in energy demand is generally
recognized as the most cost-effective strategy to save energy and to reduce
the related environmental impacts (e.g. greenhouse effect). In addition, the
efficiency of materials use can be clearly increased by optimized design,
re-use and recycling. Reduced material use results in lower resource
requirements, energy inputs and the concomitant environmental impacts.
Material substitution can serve as a complementary strategy for reducing the
environmental burden (e.g., by increased use of bio-based materials).
The Energy and Materials Demand and Efficiency (EME) cluster is studying
these issues, thereby addressing current energy and material use and the
related environmental impacts and also the future potentials for improving
energy and material efficiency.
Research objectives
The main research objectives of the Energy and Materials Demand and
Efficiency (EME) cluster are:- to assess the current energy and material use and the related
environmental impacts of products, processes, sectors and economies;
- to quantify the short-term and long-term potentials for improving
energy and material efficiency;
- to study the mechanisms leading to the development of new technology
and to analyze how this process can be accelerated;
- to determine the main obstacles to development and implementation
(e.g., costs and organizational obstacles) and to study counter-acting
societal trends(economic growth and consumer patterns);
- to analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of policies and measures
(e.g. benchmarking) and
- to derive recommendations for the actors concerned (policy,
industry, and consumers).
To this end, the research cluster applies and develops a variety of tools
(e.g., models for energy analysis and life cycle assessment) and databases
(e.g. the ICARUS database). Research deals with both energy intensive and
energy extensive parts of the economy. In geographical terms, the EME
cluster studies developments in the Netherlands, Europe and world-wide. The
temporal scope covers historical, present-day and future developments.